It's your home
by redheadedpotter346
Summary: Tree Hill is just a place somewhere in the world. Maybe it's a lot like your world. Maybe it's nothing like it. But if you look closer, you might see someone like you. (Brucas, Naley) (chapter 29 posted & ready for reading 04/09/2020)
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own one tree hill, and or The characters. They all belong to their rightful owner and I do not claim ownership on anything except the storylines ( except if I am referring to storylines from anything previous to my timeline.)_**

**_No harm will be fall on to Naley in the making of this fanfiction. _**

**_ This story is not for you if any of the following is a trigger. _**

**_ Teenage drinking, teenaged/premarital sex, ( which if any of that did you probably wouldn't have made it through the first season of one tree hill), divorce, adultery, and or etc. _**

**_This is this is also not a next generation story how ever Jamie And his friends will very much be involved, as he was and obtained storylines from season 5 on. He will have a storyline the same as Nathan and Haley and Brooke and Peyton and Lucas, he is a main character in the story as he was when the series came to an end. _**

**_ But, this is under no circumstances a next generation story! _**

**_ But, speaking of Jamie..._**

**_ This story is also not for you if you have a illusion of what Jamie would be like as a teenager based off of his childhood believing he would be the perfect teenager , in this he will very much act like any other 16-year-old boy. He will act out and argue with his pants, anything else everyone else more than likely did once or twice as a teenager. _**

**_ If you are large fan of Julian, this story is also not for you considering he will not be in it._**

**_Also, This story will focus on the Main core characters that it began with. There will be appearances by many other characters but each Chapter will have Brooke, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, and Lucas. I do mention what happened to other characters but they are not the main focus and if they have a storyline it will be brief._**

**_This story is also set starting the summer Jamie turned 16._**

**_Onto the story._**

* * *

The sound of the alarm clock echoed through the master bedroom at the home of Nathan and Haley Scott, not that it needed this particular morning. Neither were asleep—nor had they been most of the night.

The miserable excruciating North Carolina July heat made sure of that, it had been nearly record-breaking—well according to all the news stations that were.

"I don't know about you," Nathan told his wife as he hit the large red button on the alarm "but I'm taking me an ice cold shower this morning".

"That's different from every other morning—how exactly"? Haley asked with a small smile.

Over seventeen years of marriage and Haley still had a way of being the only person in the world who could ever make her husband smile before six am.

"Well, you will be in there with me".

Nathan rolled over to face his wife, and without hesitation, he kissed her—morning breath and all. He had planned to just give her a small kiss and then pull her into the bathroom with him, so long as she obliged. But, once his lips met hers he couldn't seem to think about anything besides the convenience of the bed they were already on and the number of clothes that the two already were not wearing.

Haley pulled her husband on top of her, running her fingers through the back of his hair as his hand slowly ran up her thigh and under his overgrown t-shirt that she had worn to bed the previous night.

It wasn't a cold shower—in fact, due to the heat this would be worse than a shower. But, neither could pull themselves away.

"Mommy".

The married couple jumped at the sound of a small voice and separated.

Haley reached over to the side table next to her bed turning on the lamp, thanking God her child had been unable to see anything.

"Lydia," Nathan said rushing over to his daughter who was rubbing her eyes. "Why are you up this early"?

"It's Jules," she told them. "She is sick".

"Jules"? Nathan asked looking at Haley.

"Her imaginary friend" Haley informed him her voice barely above a whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.

Nathan stared at his wife, longer than he should have. He was waiting for the punch line, but when he looked back down at his young child he realized that there wasn't one.

"Come on, Lydia," Haley said swinging her legs up over the edge of the bed and walking to her daughter's side. "Let's go take care of Jules".

Nathan watched as his wife walked out of the room with their daughter, slightly worried and more so confused, but most of all really bummed as he realized he would be showering alone.

It wasn't until an hour later as he poured himself a cup of coffee that he was reunited with his wife as she came down the stairs, fresh out of the shower with nothing but her house robe on—although, her hair and makeup had already been done for the day.

"How is Jules"? Nathan asked as he quickly stirred the creamer in with the dark liquid inside his mug.

"Don't start" Haley told him. "It's just an imaginary friend—Jamie had one, too".

"No, Chester had one" Nathan reminded her.

"What was that thing name Norvall or Orvall or Earl maybe? I can't remember".

"I don't remember either, I tried to block it out," Nathan said with a simple shrug. "But, he was young. A lot younger than she is, she shouldn't still have an imaginary friend Hales".

"I think she just didn't want to take the blame for her accident".

"Her accident"?

"Yeah," Haley said, regretfully wishing she hadn't said anything about it. "She had an accident while she was sleeping last night".

"Hales," Nathan said shaking his head. "She is eight, she should be way past this".

"I know, I know," Haley told him.

"I didn't know about either".

"Well, you have been gone for two months and before that, it was six weeks and before that, it was—".

"I don't need a recap," Nathan said effectively cutting his wife off. "It's not as if I'm out cruising around with the boys I am out making a living for our family".

"I know".

"And after everything Clay has done for us I have been trying to give him as light as a load as possible since Quinn—your sister gave birth. It took them four years to get pregnant and they just had triplets—".

"I was in the room Nathan, I know how many babies they had," Haley said holding her hand up to stop him from continuing on his rant. "I wasn't angry or even upset about you working or being away I was simply saying, you have missed a lot here recently".

"Oh".

Nathan watched as Haley began cooking breakfast, he glanced at the clock knowing he needed to be at the office five minutes ago but he didn't leave.

"What have I missed"? Nathan asked walking up behind his wife, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. "With the kids and you and the town—".

"Jamie got his tongue pierced".

"What"? Nathan nearly yelled as he stepped back causing his wife to jump. "He-".

"The day he turned sixteen, and that was just the start of summer".

"Did you sign for it"?

"No, he forged your signature. I have grounded him, I told him when he takes it out I will give him his phone back—he didn't have it for six weeks. It didn't seem to faze him so I just gave it back, he doesn't need to be driving around without a phone anyways".

Nathan paused, she couldn't be that naive. That just wasn't Haley, there was no way she didn't think of it.

"Why didn't you just take his car keys"?

"Well, I thought of that" she began, for which Nathan was relieved but stood to wait for the explanation—and boy it better be good. "But, when you're not here and Lydia needs to be picked up or something it's really convenient for him to have his license now".

Well, that did make sense.

"Is that all"? Nathan asked pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Nope," Haley said shaking her head making sure to give the P a loud pop as she said the small word. "He also got a—I think it's called a daith piercing, it's on the inside of his ear".

"How about you tell me what our son hasn't got pierced would that be easier"?

"Just those two things that I know of," Haley said running her fingers through her hair, a trait Nathan had always found cute, but this morning he failed to even notice. "The last three weeks of school he had one of those man buns, but he has since cut. Thank God. He just does things to piss me off, this summer has been a nightmare".

"Suddenly Lydia's problems seem so small".

Haley laughed as she pulled the door to the refrigerator open, and removed the orange juice from inside "I haven't even begun yet" she told her husband. "Speaking of Jamie's tongue if you ever want to find it just look in Madison's throat".

The more his wife spoke, the worse Nathan felt. It was a strange feeling, and he couldn't quite describe it. It was as if, unintentionally, he hadn't realized that somewhere along the line his son had become a teenager.

"Wait—do you think they're having sex"? Nathan whispered, his voice filled with dread as he spoke.

"I don't think so," Haley told him.

"How can you be sure"?

"I put a baby monitor in his duffel bag, beneath all his dirty socks that haven't been touched in over a year. She isn't ready—he is a Scott so of course, he is".

Nathan sat down on the stools resting his elbows on the top of the bar and allowing his head to fall into his hands, there was no turning back. They were in fact—the parents of a teenager.

"Do I need to talk to him"? Nathan asked those dreaded words. "About...sex"?

"No, I actually thought of seeing if Luke would do it. We have a better chance of getting him to open up to anyone—besides us".

"Luke is three thousand miles away".

"Not for long, their plane gets in today at eleven I believe," Haley told him as she sat a small plate in front of them.

"For how long"?

"Permanent," she said. "They are moving back to Tree Hill, I'm more nervous about Brooke returning. After Julian's funeral she went on a week trip with Peyton and Lucas, then that week turned into a month and that month turned into a year. She hasn't even stepped foot into her house since—I just worry how she is going to do".

"When was the last time we even saw Peyton and Lucas"?

"Christmas, six years ago".

Nathan shook his head, that couldn't have been right. But, it was.

Once Peyton and Lucas hit the open road, they never looked back. They called and wrote often, there had even been the regular Skype and FaceTime calls but it was strange the brother he never wanted had become the brother he missed, but these days it was hard to even keep up with his wife.

"When do you leave out again"? Haley asked her husband.

"Not for a couple of weeks"?

"So, you will be here Saturday"?

Nathan nodded.

"Tric is having 80's night—Chase and Chris thought it would be fun, I agreed. Do you want to be the Johnny to my baby"?

Nathan couldn't help but laugh, though he wasn't going to say no. They both knew that.

"I would love to," Nathan said as he stood up. "But, I have to get to work".

Haley reached over grabbing a bagel for him to eat on the ride to his office "don't say I never gave you anything".

* * *

_**A/N that was just the prologue and I hope you enjoyed it. **_

**_ I like to appeal to my readers, so I am just going to take a little poll if you can leave a review stating whether you prefer Brucas or Leyton please do, that will help me._**

**_ I do try to set up each chapter more how an episode was set up, I try to include as much as I can. So, my chapters will be extremely long. But, if there is a storyline you have always wanted to read about tell me about it, I have storylines planned out but like I said I really tried to appeal to my readers. _**

**_If you prefer next-generation stories, I do have one in the works it also only has the prologue right now but it's called seven Devils so go to my page and take a read._**

**_But, thanks for reading this chapter I will try to have an update soon._**


	2. It's the oldest story in the world

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the characters, places, and etc. all the rights go to their rightful owners. _**

**_Just a heads up if you are a large Peyton fan this chapter is not for you, she is not in it a whole lot, and you probably will hate me by the end of the chapter. Honestly, you will probably hate me within the first 500 words. _**

**_But, if you are Brucas Then you might love me by the end. There is quite a bit of Brucas, they are not in any type of relationship but friendship is better than nothing right? _**

**_This WILL be a Brucas story, but it will be a slow burn story. I do still want to honor the characters and not just throw them into bed together. I felt that would be very out of character, even in the circumstances in this story._**

**_ I am not certain if I mentioned it before, so I'm going to mention it now. I try my best to set check your snap just like an episode what happened, so therefore my chapters are extremely long. This chapter alone was longer than 12,000 words. _**

**_ Also, remember when I said it would only contain the core five, I lied a little. I just had to give some characters a little closer, and it just didn't feel like one tree hill without certain characters. _**

**_Anyways, enjoy! _**

* * *

_It's the oldest story in the world..._

* * *

"You never listen to me" Peyton Sawyer-Scott barked at her husband as they exited the plane. "I told you to pack them six different times".

"You told me nothing of the sort," Lucas said as he kept a steady pace, attempting to stay upwind of his wife. "If you had told me—I would have packed them".

"But, I did tell you and yet you didn't pack them—why? Because, Luke you never listen to me, or anyone for that matter".

Brooke Davis-Baker slowly walked behind her bickering married friends, making sure to keep a good five feet between her and them. In all honesty, it was still too close but if she fell any further behind she feared she might lose them and they might cause a riot inside the plane station.

"What did he forget to pack"? Sixteen-year-old Lily Scott asked quietly to Brooke.

"I don't even think they know at this point," Brooke told her as she rubbed her temples.

"The way he is letting her walk all over him I'm going to guess it was his testicles that he forgot to pack," Lily said with a smug smile.

Brooke shouldn't have laughed, she knew that, but the witty teenager brought it out of her. It was a good thing that Lucas and Peyton were too preoccupied with their arguing to even notice what had been said, though the rest of the airport didn't seem to think so.

"Could you two stop"? Lily asked, her voice still low but deep and firm as she asked—or begged. The young girls' cheeks were bright red, she wasn't one to like the attention of others. "Everyone is looking".

"I will if she will," Lucas said with a simple shrug—unable to fight the urge to take one more stab at his wife.

"Me? Me"? Peyton asked, her voice raising. "Because everything is my fault—isn't it? It's my fault that the plane didn't take off on time, it's my fault that we couldn't get a taxi, and it's my fault that we had a late checkout. Everything is my fault—".

"Well, you are the one who slept with someone else".

"Oh, God," Brooke said jerking her head up. "Divide and conquer" she whispered to Lily, who nodded. "Okay, Luke you and I are going to go to baggage claim... Lily take Peyton—".

"To where"? Lily whispered.

"Way over there, go on hail a cab—make that two cabs."

Brooke didn't even let her eyes meet with Peyton's, she knew what she was thinking—she was only quite because the hurt hadn't turned to anger just yet. But, she wasn't going to let Lucas stick around for that, instead, she jerked him by the arm quickly tugging towards baggage claim.

"Luke".

"I know I shouldn't have said it," Lucas told Brooke as they walked, though he didn't regret saying it. "But, it's true".

"I know it's true, you know it's true, she knows it's true—and now all of Charleston International Airport know it's true. I get that you're hurt and pissed off—you have every right to be" Brooke told him. "But, you shouldn't have said it, not like that—and certainly not here".

"Oh, God," Lucas said his feet coming to a brute halt, his head falling in his hands. "You're right, of course, you're right. What was I thinking"?

"You were thinking that you are hurt and you feel betrayed," Brooke told him with a simple shrug. "She came in crying one morning said she slept with someone else and you immediately said okay let's try to fix this—".

"Are you saying this can't be fixed"? Lucas asked raising his head up, his blue eyes meeting hers.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all," Brooke said honestly. "I'm saying pretending it never happened is not the way to fix it. You can't even be in the same room as one another, Luke—I have an entire fourteen-hour flight that would agree with me on that".

Fourteen hours, that couldn't be right. But, Lucas knew that it was—he had just spent fourteen hours arguing with the woman he swore he never wanted to live without. For what?

Brooke watched as Lucas ran his the palms of both his hands over the top of his head as he sat down on a nearby bench, when he looked up at her she felt her heart break for him.

"What do I do"? He asked, his voice breaking as he spoke.

"You get help," Brooke said, honestly. "But, you have to realize that some people—some marriages just can't get past this type of thing. Do you want to be with her"?

"I—I don't know, Brooke," he said. "I mean she is Sawyer's mom I—".

"Okay" Brooke interrupted him. "Take Sawyer out the equation for just a minute—would you still want to be with Peyton"?

Lucas thought about, though he didn't need to. He knew the answer to that, but he didn't answer immediately, he wasn't sure what stopped him.

Maybe it was saying it out loud for the first time, maybe it was admitting it to himself. The reason—it didn't really matter anymore he knew the truth and that was all that mattered.

"No".

* * *

"They have got so big—wait which one is which"? Nathan asked as he held Clay Evans phone in his hand observing the latest of pictures his longtime friend of took of his ever-growing triplets.

"Beats the hell out of me," Clay told him honestly. "Quinn can tell though—without even labeling them which apparently is frowned upon".

Lately, most of their business meetings had taken place via email, FaceTime, & over the phone—it wasn't even frequent that they were in their office at the same time anymore. So, what had started off as a business meeting had quickly become a chance for the two friends to catch up.

Clay spent every free second he had with his wife & newborn babies, while Nathan was still in the "recruitment" stage for the year so he spent a lot of time away, a lot of extra time this particular year to ensure Clay was able to be at home as much as possible.

For which Clay was eternally grateful, except at four in the morning during his sixth bottle feed of the night.

"What's it like"? Nathan asked him curiously. "Having three babies at the same time, I don't know how you do it—having one baby was... a challenge let alone three".

"I remember when we had our meeting with that fertility specialist before Quinn had her first round with IVF, they read you off this very long list of all the things that could happen or go wrong and somewhere in that long list the doctor so casually slipped in multiple births that I don't even remember hearing him say it. We sat there for thirty minutes, Nate—listening" Clay told his friend. "After two years of trying she got pregnant after her second round, we were so excited. We get to the doctor's office and this doctor finds two heartbeats, twins. That's doable, right? We had wanted this for so long, & then at her next appointment, they find another heartbeat—a third heartbeat. This time we get a picture and I spend the next six months crunching numbers and doing everything to financially prepare for this that I didn't take the time to prepare myself for three newborn babies. Three babies who need diaper changes, rocked, fed, and bathed. Two of us—three of them. I closed my eyes in the shower before coming to work this morning—that's my sleep for the day".

The two laughed as though it were a joke, though they both knew it wasn't. The large dark bags that hung under Clay's eyes told everything that needed to be told, that having triplets was a cute sitcom but in reality, there was less laughing and more crying—mostly from Clay and Quinn.!

"There are three of you though," Nathan said. "Doesn't Logan help with the babies any, they are his little sisters and brother"?

"That's funny," Clay said, though he wasn't laughing. "He will hold one of them—ten minutes tops but then goes right back upstairs turns the TV up as loud as he can and go back to playing the PlayStation or whatever gaming system he has hooked up to his television".

"I'll trade you your unhelpful preteen for my moody hormonal teenager, any day," Nathan said tossing his pen on to his desk. "I talked to Haley this morning I'm worried that Jamie might be into something she shouldn't be in. He got his tongue pierced".

"Just because he got his tongue pierced doesn't necessarily mean he is into things he shouldn't be".

"Oh, I know that but as Haley talked I heard less and less of the sweet boy I knew and more of the teenager that I was," Nathan told him. "I then thought about all the times I partied too hard and still got in my car to drive home. Or the time I took speed. Or the bully I was to everyone, just because".

It was easy for Clay to see the worry on his friends face, it was real and raw. He hadn't known Nathan all them years ago but he had heard the stories, the spoiled rich basketball star he had been before meeting his wife.

"If you want to know if he is into anything he shouldn't be—just go through his phone" Clay suggested. "Teenagers keep everything in their damn phones".

"Isn't that an invasion of privacy"?

"What privacy, Nate"? Clay asked him. "He is a kid, he is sixteen. You pay the bills for the roof over his head and the food he eats and the phone in his pocket. It's in your name. If you want to get technical it's not his phone, it's yours—you just allow him to use it. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it".

"Haley would disagree," Nathan told him.

Oh, Clay knew that.

"Which is why if you get caught—don't tell her I gave you the idea," Clay said with a simple shrug. "But, I promise you if he is up to anything he shouldn't be it will be in that phone".

"How would I even get it out of his hands"? Nathan asked. "And even if I did, it's got a code on it that I'm more than certain he wouldn't tell me".

"You have a family plan right"? He asked, to which Nathan nodded. "Go to your carrier's website, log into your account, and find his phone. It will all be on there".

Nathan knew his wife would disapprove, in fact, he was more than certain she would disapprove but he also knew he had to know what his son was doing.

"Mr. Scott" Nathan and Clay heard as their secretary stepped inside of Nathan's office. "Your one o'clock is here".

* * *

The excruciating heat was the perfect excuse for two teenagers to find themselves neck deep in a secluded swimming hole, on the outskirts of town. The cool water was protected by the shades of the trees. It was the only place in Tree Hill that offered a small breeze and felt fifteen degrees cooler than it actually was. The only heat was coming from James Lucas Scott and his longtime girlfriend Madison Elizabeth Landry, as the two wadded in the middle of the water—lips locked, as they had been for the past forty-five minutes.

"How do I always let you talk me into this"? Madison asked as she broke away from their never-ending kiss. "It says right there in plain English, no swimming," she said gesturing towards the sign nailed to one of the trees. "What if they have cameras hidden somewhere? This is someone's private land".

"You're right," Jamie said, his voice low and husky from the amount of disuse it had currently endured. "Want to hear a secret"?

"We are crossing private property, we could go to jail and you want to talk about secrets"?

"You're going to want to hear this one".

"Fine. What's your big secret"?

Madison knew damn well that her boyfriend was like a dog with a bone, if she didn't give in he would never stop asking.

"You know my grandfather—or knew of him"? Jamie asked as he picked his girlfriend up under the water, and felt her wrap her legs tightly around his torso.

"Nobel one or the killer"? Madison asked, closing the small space between her and Jamie pressing her body to his.

"Dan," he said shaking his head. "Do you know he owned a lot of things, land—houses, I guess when he divorced his ex-wife he told her signed it all away but he didn't?" Jamie told her.

Madison cupped each side of his neck with her hands and nibbled on her bottom lip "if you're keeping me from kissing you right now, I hope you have a point in all this".

"At the time he only had me and Sawyer as grandkids, but he wasn't allowed to speak to her—so he signed everything in my name," Jamie told her. "This land is mine, I won't be able to actually inherit it until I turn eighteen—mom and dad still won't give me the keys because they said I don't need a whole house to myself at sixteen but the land is mine".

"Wait—What"? Madison asked. "Are you serious"?

"Yeah, this has a couple of acres of private land and I have a beach house. That's just in Tree Hill—I think it would be a good idea to sell the rest for college money".

"You say that like you know you're not going to get some great scholarship," Madison said, dramatically rolling her eyes.

"I'll give you a list of the houses, you pick which one you want us to live in one day," Jamie told her. "That will be the one I don't sell".

"Us"?

"I told you—I'm going to marry you one day, I want you forever".

"Shut up and kiss me".

And he did.

What started as a small and quick kiss had quickly escalated to a hard and heavy one. Their lips continued to move together in union, Jamie wasn't entirely sure when his tongue became involved but it had.

She tasted sweet and salty. Like watermelon—from their stop at the farmers market earlier that morning and just like he told her when they were there, she put far to much salt on her favorite summer fruit. Even though Jamie disagreed with her, he always said that salt does not go on watermelon—to which she never listened.

Jamie felt Madison's hands running through his hair and resting on to be back of his head, but he continued to kiss her—as long as she would let him, which unfortunately wasn't for much longer.

"What time is it"? Madison asked breaking apart their kiss once more, her breathing shaky and unstable.

"Eleven," Jamie said as he trailed his lips down the side of her neck.

"Funny. It was eleven when we got here" Madison said. "I have to be at work at two".

It took all her strength, but she broke her body away from his—leaving her boyfriend with a child-like pout on his face.

And for that, she laughed.

"You're her favorite employee it's not like she is going to fire you, baby".

"Unlike you, some of us need a job," Madison said, as she swam to the edge of the bank and walked out of the water.

"I work," Jamie said, still from deep inside the water.

"Because you want to, not because you have to there is a difference," Madison said turning around to look at her boyfriend who still had yet to move from the spot they spent the past two hours in. "You just told me your dead grandfather left you multiple houses and land and god knows what else-".

"That I won't be able to get until I'm eighteen," Jamie said defensively. "My parents don't just hand me money either".

"But, when you're eighteen you have money for life and school, even if you don't get a scholarship—which you will because you're you, and you beat your dads score in just your freshman year that took him four years to accomplish," Madison said crossing her arms. "And he was in the NBA, and you will be too. Everyone knows it, college reps already come to every game to watch you".

"Okay—Wait," Jamie said interrupting her. "When did this turn into an argument? I thought we were just messing around".

The two lifelong sweethearts stared at one another for a few minutes, maybe Madison had overreacted and she was willing to admit that. But, her feelings had come from a real and raw place deep inside of her, she wasn't raised the same way Jamie had been. Nor would she ever.

"Some of us just aren't as lucky as you James" Madison said.

"Whoa. James"? He asked as he finally began swimming over towards her, and stepped out of the swimming hole, water running down his body. "Do you honestly think if you don't get a scholarship in basketball—which is completely absurd, you're so good dad and Skills have talked about putting you on the guy's team, that I wouldn't pay for your college"?

Madison tugged her dress over her head and slid her arms through "that sounds wonderful. But, that's your money—and that's still three years away, what if something happens between now and then"?

"Like what"?

"Like, What if we break up"?

When Jamie didn't respond Madison looked up to find him puzzled, more than puzzled. He looked as though he were a deer caught in the headlights, stunned—confused.

"Break up"? Jamie asked. "We have spent the past—hell I don't even know how long we have been together. Ten years"?

"Nine".

"Okay, nine years together—do you want to break up"?

"Of course not," Madison said walking over running her fingers slowly up Jamie's chest. "I just meant sometimes things happen, that are out of our control and—".

"And what"? Jamie asked when Madison slowly trailed off.

Madison turned around, walking in the opposite direction as she ran her fingers through her wet hair "I just see the way all the girls look at you, like you' re—I don't know. I don't know what they look at you like, but they all look. Cheerleaders. The girls I play basketball with. Even the damn girls on the chess team and some of the girls that look are much prettier than I will ever—".

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Madison" Jamie said, his voice filled with anger, which got Madison to turn around to find him standing with arms crossed. "Do you ever see me looking at them"?

"Well, no".

"Because you're the only girl in the world that matters to me—I don't want to look at any other girl or ever be with any ever girl so don't talk about us breaking up. Please"? Jamie nearly begged. "I love you, with all my heart".

"And I love you but—what if you get tired of waiting"?

She didn't need to clarify what she was referring to, they had the conversation many times before.

"I have been ready to have sex since I figured out what my—penis was for," he said shaking his head at the medical term, knowing if he said anything else the conversation would take a sharp right. "But, you are not—and if that's all I wanted you for don't you think I would have left two or three years ago when we first started talking about it. I don't care if we wait until we are married, I don't care if we get married and you still aren't ready—I want to be with you and no one else. I won't get tired of waiting, I promise".

Jamie didn't need to say anything else, it was in her eyes—Madison believed him. He hated that he ever had to reassure her, but he did every time.

"We won't be married," Madison told him.

"What"?

"I'm not ready, yet. But, I think I'm almost ready".

Jame took her hand in his and said: "as long as you are ready because you want to, not because I want to".

Madison leaned up on her tip toes, and planted a small kiss on his lips "I know" she said with a smile. "But, just think how good we will be with four years of foreplay behind us".

"Oh, trust me—I think about it" Jamie admitted. "A lot".

"Alright, let's go before I'm any later".

* * *

Haley James Scott felt the cool splash of water hit the bottom of her legs as she relaxed with a book in her hands curled up on a lawn chair by the pool. She glanced up from her book and smiled, as she saw her blond headed child swimming around inside the pool like a fish.

The heat that rolled through Tree Hill was nearly unbearable, but it was days like that this that Haley would never forget. It was moments like this that she would remember as she took her last breathes of this world.

Though they were vague, she remembered Jamie as a child and the fun she once had him, perhaps that's why she was enjoying this day with Lydia so much. It's the moments like this with her teenage son that she missed so much, the seconds she longed to have back.

Haley discarded her book to the side as she watched Lydia climb out of the pool, steadily find herself on to the small diving board, and jump off—once more feeling the water hit her legs from the small splash her daughter made, this time as a cannonball.

Lydia came up beneath the water, a beaming smile upon her face—proud of her jump. "I know that everyone says they don't exist but no one has found proof," Lydia told her mother, as she found herself to the edge of the pool.

Haley looked down into her daughter's blue eyes, that peered from the depth of the pool as Lydia rested her chin on her arms that sat folded perfectly together on the pavement.

"That what doesn't exist"? Haley asked, curiously—coming to terms with the fact that she had missed part of this conversation when she was reading her book.

"Mermaids".

"You know what"? Brooke said as she walked through the back door to the house, with Lucas joining the two on the patio. "I think you're right. Just because no one has ever seen something doesn't mean they don't exist".

"Maybe they just aren't looking in the right places" Lucas agreed.

Whether the two actually believed in mermaids remained a mystery, but what wasn't a mystery was how excited one eight-year-old girl became at the sight of two of her favorite people.

"Auntie Brooke, Uncle Lucas" Lydia exclaimed, quickly swimming to the ladder inside the pool and darting towards her Godmother and Uncle.

"Lydia, don't run you will slip and fall" Haley called to her daughter.

The youngest Scott was smart, in fact, she was smarter than most she attended school with, including many of the older children in her elementary school that were a few grades ahead of her. Her father said it was a trait she and her brother both inherited from their mother. Lydia knew that she could hurt herself by running with wet feet across the hard pavement, but like many eight-year-old children—even the smartest, quickly forget about what makes sense or what should be done when they fill a rush of excitement—like seeing your godparents.

Lydia didn't listen to her mother as she jumped into her uncle's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck—drenching his shirt that quickly stuck to his torso. But, neither seemed to mind.

"Lydy Bob," Lucas said Rowling his favorite niece around, okay so she was his only niece but he was certain if he had another she would still be his favorite.

"Where is Sawyer"?! Lydia asked, her skin itching with excitement as Lucas planted her back down on her feet.

Lucas pulled his arm up, glancing at the time his watch read and said "on a plane with Victoria and Ted" he said, immediately watching the child's face drop. "But, she will be here next week—for good. We are moving back to Tree Hill".

Haley felt the need to cover her ears at the sound of her child's squeals, as she finally had made her way across the pool deck and on to the patio to join the three who were already knees deep in hugs.

"Haley James Scott" Brooke said, as she hugged her best friend.

"It's so good to see you," Haley told her as she eventually leaned out of the hug. "Tree Hill has missed you, both of you. How was your flight"?

Haley watched as Brooke and Lucas both stiffened at that question, before glancing at one another and looking back at Haley—who now found herself confused, and they had only been back for five minutes.

Haley hadn't seen the two in quite some time, Lucas longer than Brooke but somethings had yet to change. She knew immediately something was wrong with the two, and it was painfully clear what it was about—she just lacked the specific details that she was sure she would get.

From Brooke. The hurt in her brother-in-law's eyes told her he wasn't sticking around for the conversation, at least not right now. Perhaps he had just had the conversation too much, or maybe he genuinely didn't want to talk about, but Haley was certain it was his broken heart that was steering him away from this talk.

Lucas lifted his niece back up muttering something about a towel and strolling away, continuing a long conversation about mermaids.

Haley watched Brooke watch Lucas walk out of earshot length before turning to Haley and saying "Peyton and he spent thirteen hours of a fourteen-hour flight arguing. At one point the captain threatened to land".

"That's normal though, right"? Haley asked. "When there is a disturbance on a plane, I mean I have never witnessed it but I have heard about it".

On soap operas, but Haley chose not to mention that particular part—she was trying to somehow make his situation better.

"Maybe," Brooke said with a shrug as they each sat down at the table on the patio. "Except we were directly over the Atlantic, no land just water".

So much for trying to make the situation better.

"That bad, huh"? Haley asked.

Brooke slowly nodded. "I would have rather traveled with the Hitlers if that's any indication," she said. "The first five were fun, in fact, they were great, but the last nine have just been bluntly horrible. I feel the worst for Sawyer, she has stayed with me and the boys more than her parents. Lily, too".

"Where is she"?

"Lily or Peyton"?

Haley narrowed her eyes at Brooke, if she had been asking for Lily she would have had no trouble saying her name.

"Town," Brooke said sitting back. "I think she wanted to stop by the label for something".

"And Lily"?

"She had to register for school—Luke offered to take her but I'm pretty sure she wanted a break from both of them. It was an unbelievably long plane ride".

"I still can't believe she would do something like this" Haley said shaking her head, at even the thought.

Haley once adored Peyton enough to stand between her and Lucas, and officiate their wedding. But, now she had trouble even saying her name—after getting a distraught call from her best friend in the world to deliver the news that his wife had slept with another man, she hadn't felt the same about Peyton Sawyer since.

No matter how hard she tried.

"Peyton is my best friend," Brooke said as she looked over at Luke who was helping Lydia dry off, the two laughing hysterically at something he presumably said or did. "I know she made a mistake, and I know she is trying. These are all things I know, Haley—except anytime she gets depressed about it or wants to talk about there is something inside of me that just can't stand there and listen to her. I lose my husband—she sat there with me when I cried so hard I was puking. My husband is gone, and he is never coming back just to turn around to cheat on what she still has. Luke, he is still here on this earth and loving her, how could she do that"?

Haley reached across the table taking Brooke's hand in hers and gave her a gentle squeeze. The tears she was fighting could have been the anger she felt towards Peyton or the hurt she felt over Julian, but either way, the comfort from Haley was just what she had needed.

"I know some couples can recover from cheating or an affair. I believe that some marriages can heal from this, but I don't think that they will" Brooke admitted honestly. "Lucas has asked my opinion a couple of different times, and I always do my best to dance around the truth but the truth is, I don't think they will ever get over this".

"Do you remember that whole Ranee scandal with Nathan"? Haley asked as she let go of her friend's hand, resting back in her seat.

"How could I forget"?

"I trusted Nathan—of course, I did and he never did it," Haley said. "But, before it came out that it was all a lie, there was this little voice in the back of my head every second of every day that thought what it If he had done it? I love Nathan with all my heart and soul, but If he had—I don't think I could have forgiven him. All my pain was metaphorical, and sometimes it was enough to send me to my knees in tears".

"But, Nate would never do that to you—he loves you far too much to do that to you," Brooke told her.

Haley smiled because it was true. "I have been lucky enough to have a husband that has never made me question his love for me, and if I have he always reassured me and made me feel like I was the only girl in the world," she said with a small smile. "I have never doubted my faith in him, but now Luke doubts everything in Peyton. I don't see how you can have a marriage, healthy marriage if you question everything".

"Once you lose trust, you lose everything" Brooke told her.

And that was true.

"I just don't see how you can cheat on someone whom you claim to love".

"You can't" Haley replied.

"Momma, momma" Lydia yelled, pulling the two out of their conversation to look over to see Lydia running towards them with Luke not far behind her. "Look what uncle Lucas brought me. It's a dollar bill from Europe"!

Haley smiled "I hope you told him thank you"!

"Of course she did," Lucas said as he walked over joining everyone.

"Oh, look at the time," Haley said. "Lydia, you better go upstairs and change if you want to make it to Emma's in time".

Lydia didn't hesitate before taking off towards the house and disappearing through the doors.

"So, where is my nephew"? Lucas asked as he looked around.

"I don't know," Haley said with a shrug. "Probably off plotting my death".

Lucas and Brooke followed Haley as she made her way from the table, across the patio, and inside her house before walking into the kitchen.

"What"? Lucas asked, confused. "I don't believe he could be that bad".

"Okay, in this family that was probably a bad joke but believe it. I swear he does things just to piss me off".

"That just sounds like a normal teenaged boy" Lucas said with a simple shrug.

"I never did things just to upset my parents" Haley told them honestly.

"I did" Brooke and Lucas said in union., before sharing a glance with a smile.

"Hales, you were every parent's dream kid—until you brought Nathan home I'm sure," Lucas said slowly massaging her shoulders as he stood behind her. "And look at the influence you had on him—I'm certain it's just a stage".

"I just, I don't know," Haley said walking into the living room and throwing herself on to the sofa. "Jamie used to come in and talk to me for forty-five minutes just about his day and he wanted to know about mine. We used to make decisions together, he wanted my opinion on everything and now he goes behind my back and gets piercings. He doesn't even talk to me—as far as I know, his entire vocabulary is whatever, yeah, and fine".

Lucas and Brooke each sat on one side of their distressed friend.

"I got along with my mom but that doesn't mean I wasn't still a teenaged boy, I would break curfew on purpose and if she said I couldn't go somewhere I wanted to go or with someone I wanted to go with, I would act out over it for weeks" Lucas said rubbing his palms together.

"He doesn't talk to me, even when you were slamming doors you still talked to Karen. I only have him for two more years, three, if he decides to stay through his senior year, is this how I am going to spend this time"? Haley asked. "He got his tongue pierced—I don't know why out of all the body parts to get pierced he chose that particular spot on his body. I don't know who did it. I don't know what music he listens to or his favorite movie or where he buys his clothes. I don't even know what his favorite color is anymore. I don't know someone that once grew inside of me. He used to hate piercings, now he has his tongue pierced how do I know if he is up to something he shouldn't be"?

Haley's head fell into her hands as tears strolled down her cheeks, leaving streaks through the makeup she was wearing. She knew her time with Jamie was slowly winding down, and it killed her that the boy who used to sleep in her bed when he was scared acted as though she didn't exist.

Haley hated that her son, who was right across the hall was practically a stranger.

"Well," Brooke slowly said, knowing Haley wasn't going to like her idea. "There is a way to find all those things out".

"And what's that"? Haley asked, lifting her head up turning towards Brooke.

"Is he here"?

"No".

"Just go upstairs and rummage through his room a little. You can learn anything about anybody if you look in their bedroom, and if he is doing something he shouldn't be it would be in there".

"What"?! Haley exclaimed standing up. "Brooke, that's such an invasion of privacy".

"Well, only if he finds out," Brooke said.

"Would you do that to the twins when they get older"?

"Without a doubt".

Haley shouldn't have been surprised by how quickly Brooke responded, or that she thought of the idea. In fact, Haley should be surprised at herself for being surprised.

"I'm ready, momma" the three heard and turned to see Lydia skipping down the staircase in a small pink dress and her hair still wet from the pool.

"Okay," Haley said as she reached for her purse. "I have to run her to a friends house, will you two still be here when I get back"?

"Actually," Lucas said standing up from the couch, walking over. "That's why we stopped by. I got the dates mixed up when I made the papers for moms house, and if either of you admits that to Peyton I'll post embarrassing pictures online, but their lease isn't up for another month".

"And my electric won't be back on until Monday," Brooke said biting her bottom lip.

"And there is only one hotel in Tree Hill".

"And we are sick of hotels".

"So, you need a place to stay"? Haley asked.

"Yes".

"Yeah".

"Of course you can stay here," Haley told the two without hesitation. "I'll send Nathan a text, but I have to get her up here".

"You're going to regret that when you see how many suitcases Brooke has for her shoes".

"I'll let you borrow anything you want".

Haley laughed as she made her way to the door "I shouldn't be no more than an hour. I just have to take her to a friends and take Nathan lunch, I'll be back".

The two watched Haley and Lydia walk out the door, and Brooke watched slowly out the window as they left before rushing to the staircase.

"Brooke, where are you going"? She heard and turned to see Lucas following her.

"Jamie's room".

"No, you can't," Lucas said taking her hand.

"Just a peak".

"No".

"If Jamie is hiding anything it would be in there and you know it".

"No, we can't," Lucas said. "But, we are going to aren't we"?

The two smiled before rushing up towards the teenager's room.

* * *

Perhaps Peyton Scott was just looking for a getaway, a break. A breath of fresh air even, but instead of Red bedroom Records, the blonde found herself walking down the street of her former home town—current hometown.

It had a small sense of familiarity, but so much had changed and somehow so much had stayed the same. It was probably the only town left with more than one phone booth.

It felt like home, which is something she had longed for—for so long.

"Mrs. Sawyer-Scott".

"Chris Keller" Peyton said shaking her head turning around, knowing exactly who it was approaching her.

Christopher Keller walked up by her side with a large brown bag, which Peyton assumed to be groceries due to the bananas poking out of the top. It had been years since she had seen him, and a plaid shirt and jeans—carrying groceries wasn't exactly how she remembered the man in front of her.

"Where are you off too"? Chris asked. "If you need a ride I can give you, one," he said gesturing toward the minivan parked in front of the supermarket.

"No, I stopped at the label and just wanted to take a walk around" Peyton told him, honestly. "You and Mia have done a great job taking care of my baby, thank you".

"You're welcome".

Peyton looked him over one last time before asking "what happened to Chris Keller"?

Chris smiled as he said "it took a while—it took the right girl but Chris Keller grew up, Chris Keller is married with a family. Chris Keller loves his family more than anything".

"How is Mia and the kids"?

"Amazing" he said with the proud smile only a father could have. "Catalano will be starting headstart this year and Adell is going to be one in October".

"They grow up so fast don't they"?

Chris nodded.

"Do you ever miss it"? Peyton asked. "Singing? Or going on the road? Any of it"?

"I never wanted to settle down because I thought I would be trading in my amazing life—that actually wasn't so amazing for the typical average Joe life" Chris told her. "Then I went on that first tour with Mia, and we got married and had Cat—now I feel like being on the road—singing and traveling was settling. Don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it but I wouldn't trade what I have now for it. I sing at Tric from time to time, but I get to spend all my free time with the three most beautiful girls in the world".

When Peyton ever thought of Chris Keller, there were many words that came to her mind—none of which were PG13 rated. He was an arrogant and obnoxious pain in the ass. But, now all these years later she stood in front of the man that she proudly slapped one day, proud of him.

"Mia Catalano is one hell of a woman" Peyton said as she continued to observe him.

"I agree" he told her. "What's bothering you"?

Peyton wasn't sure why she was going to tell him, but she was.

"I'm pretty certain my marriage is over, and it's all my fault—but the worst part is I think I want it to be over".

* * *

"I feel like a teenager, having sex in the middle of the day," Chase Adams said as he slipped back into his pants.

"Except, you didn't have sex when you were a teenager" Gretchen Scolnik said with a smile as she wrapped her robe tightly around her torso and tossed Chase his white t-shirt.

Chase rolled his eyes "it's a hundred degrees outside" he told her tugging his shirt over his head. "We could have had a heat stroke, instead of being able to fool around like a normal couple—at night, when it's cool".

"I know, I know," Gretchen said as she tied her hair on top of her head. "I'm going to tell Chuck, I swear. I just have to find the right time".

"So, nowhere in the last year would have been the right time"? Chase asked.

"I swear I will," she told to chase. "I'm just trying to be a better mom. You know that".

"I know that you have been sober for three years and you have gone back to college—trust me he is proud of you. I'm proud of you, too".

"I just never saw this happening," she told him wrapping her arms around his neck. "It was supposed to be just a one night stand".

"Then That one night turned into two and they turned into dates and now over a year has gone by—and you still haven't told Chuck".

"You ruined the moment," Gretchen said turning away until she felt Chase take her by the hand.

The two looked at one another for a brief moment, at first Chase was understanding but now he had become agitated over the wait.

"He looks at you as more of a father than he ever looked at Wade and I never wanted to ruin that for him".

"Gretchen, we are on a clock here," Chase told her. "You're already nine weeks pregnant, we have to tell him. If we wait any longer, the baby will have to tell them and I feel that's not his responsibility".

"Or hers" she quickly added. "We will. Soon. I promise".

"I have to get to Tric, are we still on for tonight"?

"As long as you sneak through the window".

* * *

Keith Scott, it was a name Lily heard so many times, a man she owed half of her DNA to but he was a man she never knew. A man she shared no memories with, and the only man she longed to know.

It felt like a bad dream, a horrible nightmare—but a nightmare that Lily would never be able to remember.

As she stood with her feet planted under the sign that hung above the entrance to the large cemetery in Tree Hill, the sixteen-year-old tried but could never make herself walk any further. She glanced around at the many headstones, she looked at the trees and the beautifully grown flowers. All in all, it was a gorgeous place, but to her, it was simply prison.

It was a prison that had housed her father for seventeen years, for a punishment he did not deserve. He was a Scott, and he was murdered in cold blood by a Scott—his own brother. She knew going to speak to her father meant she would see the spot where her uncle was buried and, she just was not ready for that.

At the mere thought Lily turned on her heel but instead, she found herself coming face to face with what she thought was a wall, until she hit the ground and looked up to see a boy about her age.

"I'm so sorry," Lily said as she jumped to her feet and extended a hand to the tall boy across from her.

"It's alright," he said with a chuckle. "I have never felt a girl with that much firepower before".

Lily laughed as she helped him gather his things that consisted of flowers, a journal, and a "basketball"? Lily asked as she picked up observing the many signatures on the orange ball. "I have grown up around basketball, but I don't think I have ever seen one at a graveyard before".

He laughed as she handed it to him "it's from the one we won the state championship with, I kept forgetting it every time I came up, the coach let me keep it to bring to my brother".

"You come to visit him often"?

"Couple times a week," he said sheepishly. "That's probably so lame".

"Not at all," she said honestly. "It's nice, I was with my sister-in-law and came over".

"You visiting or just admiring from afar"? He asked, jokingly.

"Sort of".

"Sort of"?

"My dad is up there," she told him.

"Really"?

"Yeah," Lily said. "I'm sure my mom brought me when I was young, but ever since then, I haven't been able to even step past the entrance. I'm horrible, I know".

"That's not horrible," he told her. "It's harder for some people—how did he die"?

"Erm—he was killed," she said taking a long deep breath. "By his own brother, how awful is that"?

"What did you say your name was"? He asked, looking up at her.

"I don't believe I did," she told him.

"Keith was your dad"?

Lily looked at the boy in front of her, she knew he couldn't have been older than she was—a few months nothing more. So, if she didn't know her dad, how could he?

"Yeah" Lily answered slowly. "How did you know that"?

"I'm a family friend of the Scott's, I grew up with Jamie. Your brother coached my brother before he was killed".

And it clicked. She did know the boy in front of her, or of him.

" Quinton"? She asked.

"Q," he said nodding. "That was my big brother".

"Lucas has told me a lot about him over the years, said he was one of the best damn players he ever knew".

"He was amazing. I don't doubt it one bit the boy said. "Andre—officially".

"Lily—officially".

The two shook hands, the two strangers who instantly had become friends having nothing in common except for tragedy.

"Would you like to come with me"? He asked, pointing towards the gravesite. "I know where your dad is buried, I have come a few times with Jamie and Nate—I know my around we can avoid that if you want. But, this way you can finally say you set foot on the ground. It's one step closer, and one day you will be able to walk up and lay flowers down for your dad. Baby steps".

"Sure".

Although, she wasn't sure she still followed Andre through the graveyard but making certain to keep her eyes fixated on her feet or the tall guy in front of her.

"You live with Skills, right"? Lily asked, making sure to keep her mind busy as they walked.

"Antwon, Yeah" he answered. "After Q died, it was just me and my mom and she was getting older then. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about five years ago, one year in and she had to go live in a nursing home... I was too young to take care of her then and even now she needs medically trained professionals. I go see her every chance I get but he has been great. It's just me and him since he and Bev split".

"So, is it Skills with an S or a Z"?

Andre laughed "I don't even think he knows".

* * *

Organization. It wasn't a concept Brooke Davis-Baker was to aware of, until today.

"This is the cleanest room I have ever been in," Brooke said shaking her head, as she and Luke tiptoed through Nathan and Haley's teenaged son's room.

Lucas shrugged "he is the son of Haley James Scott".

Brooke opened the drawer to Jamie's underwear drawer, to find his underwear neatly folded and color coded. "I don't care if he is the son of Mary freaking Poppins, no teenaged boy is this clean".

"I always wondered what her middle name was," Luke said, earning a semi-glare from his former high school girlfriend to which he laughed slightly. "What exactly are we looking for"?

"Anything incriminating" Brooke said as she shut the drawer in front of her. "I don't know really, maybe anything that your sixteen-year-old nephew shouldn't have".

"Like a huge stack of porn"?

Brooke snapped around to find Lucas knelt on the side of his bed with the bed skirt lifted. She quickly ran by his side to find rows and rows of porn magazines beneath his bed.

"Jesus," Lucas said putting a magazine back in place that he had picked up. "Even the porn is organized".

Brooke couldn't help but laugh as Lucas stood to his feet, running his fingers through his hair.

"If porn is the only thing this kid has to hide I would say Nathan and Haley are doing pretty well," Lucas said. "I know I had a lot more to hide when I was his age".

Brooke nodded "You and me both. I pray every night that the boys or at least one of them end up like Julian. I would never have to worry, I have even thought about calling Sylvia asking her how she raised him to be such a geek".

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle "you don't know—Julian might have been like Nathan in high school".

"You normally grow out of being a nerd not into it," Brooke said. "I loved him so much, but he was such a dork".

Lucas looked at Brooke, who was currently searching through Jamie's closet and asked: "do you miss him"?

Though he knew the answer to that, he knew not talking about Julian hurt Brooke more than talking about him.

"So much," she said. "There is something in every day that I want to tell him about. It could be something Davis did or something Jude said or a movie I went and saw or something I did—".

"Like snooping around your godson's bedroom"?

"Yeah," Brooke said smiling. "He would have loved this," she told Lucas as she crashed on the foot of the bed. "I have never in my life been in a teenaged boys room that was so clean and back in my day I was in my fair share. Neither you or Nathan were this clean".

"You know Brooke it's alright if sometimes you keep somethings to yourself," Lucas said, though he was only half serious—the two laughed.

"Your bed wasn't this comfortable either," Brooke said as she stretched out on Jamie's neatly made California King mattress.

Although she was kidding—there was no way she could remember that far back as to what Lucas' bed felt like all them years ago. She could remember how hard all the mattresses at the many motels she had stayed at in the past year or so of her life.

"I don't remember you doing too much sleeping is probably why it wasn't so comfortable," Lucas said as he crashed on the spot next to her. "Oh, god you're right. This bed is comfortable as hell... he is definitely still a virgin".

Brooke laughed. "We were horny little bitches, weren't we? Do you remember that letter that you sent me"?

"The one after Rachel caught you—"

"Don't say it"!

"Brooking yourself".

Brooke covered her face with her hands, though she wasn't as embarrassed about it as she once was. For a minute anyway.

"I can see your wheels turning don't hold back," Lucas said.

"The letter," Brooke said sitting up straight. "That's it, how could I have been so naive".

"Okay, you lost me," Lucas said sitting up facing her.

"Let's say— hypothetically we were teenagers now and you wanted me something... dirty like that would you sit down and write it as you did then"?

"No," Lucas said shrugging. "I mean I would—but if I was a teenager now no I would text it".

"Exactly, everything is online now—even porn," Brooke said as she stood up and walked around to the edge of Jamie's bed. "So, why does your nephew have a huge collection of dirty magazines if he wanted porn he would just get online".

Still confused—Lucas walked around and joined her. He watched as she carefully ran her fingers down the magazines before smiling "this one feels thicker than the rest" she said.

Lucas carefully lifted the stack of magazines that sat on top of one specific one sitting them to the side and watched Brooke open one.

"Oh, my god" Brooke said.

"Hello, Mary Jane," Lucas said.

"Tutor girls son is a stoner".

"What's that bag behind the magazines"? Lucas asked.

Brooke reached and pulled the supermarket bag out from behind the many magazines.

"Damn, he is Nathan Scott's kid," Brooke said. "Party pack of condoms".

"Hold up," Lucas said. "It's unopened, and hid—and the recite says it was bought seven months ago".

"Well, it's official. Stoner boy is a virgin".

"Shh—what was that"? Lucas said. "Was that the door"?

"What's Haley going to do ground us"?

"Yeah" the two heard Jamie's voice from down the hall. "I just dropped Madison off at the cafe... what time do you want to meet at the river court—"?

"Oh, my god. Put it back" Brooke demanded as she jumped to her feet.

Lucas quickly placed the items in the specific spot they were found in as Brooke ran to the door, peering out the crack.

"Oh, my god" Brooke said. "He is right there, closet—hurry".

"Are we really hiding from a sixteen-year-old boy"?

"If he finds us in here you no longer are the cool uncle you will quickly become his father's peeping Tom brother and I'm no longer his godmother, but his mom's nosey friend so yes we hide".

Brooke grabbed Lucas and dashed into the closet, much to Lucas' dismay. Just in time, the door slowly opened and Jamie Scott stepped into his room shutting the door behind him.

* * *

"Knock, knock" Nathan heard and looked up to see his wife walking through his office door, shutting it behind her. "I brought Lunch".

"The things you could do to a man with those words Haley James," Nathan said with a smile.

Haley rolled her eyes, but smiled, as she lifted two to go plates out of the bag handing one to her husband. Nathan quickly tore into the lunch of his dream as his wife sat across from him on the other side of his desk.

"So" Haley began after disposing of over half of her meal. "Lucas and Brooke stopped by".

"What about Peyton"? Nathan asked, genuinely wondering about his brother's wife. "I thought you said they were all moving back".

"They are," Haley said. "She just wasn't with them, I think they are still having problems since—the incident".

Haley assumed labeling it "the incident" would somehow lessen the blow, but it was clear that no matter what she called it her feelings for Peyton had yet to change. If she wasn't willing to admit it, her facial expression alone would tell on her.

"Well, that's not something you can get over—overnight," Nathan said as he popped a curly fry into his mouth.

"It's not something you can get over—period," Haley told him. "She slept with another man, Nathan. How would you feel if I come home and told you I slept with someone"?

"I would probably laugh".

"What"?

"I would laugh because I don't ever have to worry about that happening".

"I just meant—".

"Hales, I love you and I'm willing to entertain just about anything you want to talk to about—but no good can come of this what if scenario".

"I guess I didn't think about it that way—sorry".

The two were quiet for a moment, long enough for Nathan to finish off the remainder of his lunch and drink his soda.

"They are going to be staying with us" Haley informed her husband after a few moments.

"Who"?

"Well, Brooke until next week but Peyton and Lucas will be there for a month—maybe longer I'm not entirely sure".

"You're telling me that we will now have three teenagers under one roof, four children, Brooke, us, and my brother with his wife he can't seem to be in the same room without a blood bath"? Nathan asked. "Twelve people in my house"?

"It will be a great chance for us to catch up," Haley said with a simple shrug.

"You said last week that you didn't want to be anywhere near Peyton, and now you're going to be roommates"?

"Well, Luke and Brooke ask me and I couldn't say no".

"I'm staying at a hotel".

Haley narrowed her eyes at her husband, hoping that was a joke.

"Fine. But, just remember when we are brought up for our testimonies during the trial—this was your idea".

Haley laughed, for a brief moment, until she picked her phone up and Nathan watched his wife's face drop.

"Oh, my god" Haley said throwing her head back.

"What"?

"Brooke just texted—her and Luke are stuck in Jamie's closet," Haley told him as she grabbed her phone. "Jamie is home and they don't want him to know they are in there".

"I gotta say—I missed them," Nathan said with a wide smile.

"I have to go," Haley said standing up, frustrated. "I told them deliberately that I did not want to go through his room, I know Jamie is acting out a bit here lately but I still want to respect his privacy".

Nathan listened to his wife as he sat back in his chair, relaxing his hands over his stomach. "He is more than acting out Haley. In the past three months, our son has done a complete personality shift".

"I am working on it".

"Okay, I know you're doing your best—and I have been away with work but listening to you this morning it didn't sound like we were having a conversation about our son it sounded like—".

"It sounded like what, Nathan"? Haley pressed.

"It sounded like a conversation about me—don't get me wrong. I saw his report card, he finished his first year of high school with a 4.0-grade point average. I wish I could have been as smart as he is, but maybe we do need to be a little less lenient on the boundaries we set for him" Nathan suggested.

"He has the same rules my parents had for me," Haley said.

"What worked for you might not work for him," Nathan told his wife. "He looks like a James but he acts like a Scott if I had never met you god knows how I would have turned out".

"Jamie isn't bad and he isn't you," Haley said crossing her arms. "And you just said if you had never met me god knows how you would have turned out—".

"Before you finish that sentence just know there is a big difference between a seventeen-year-old boy crazy in love and a sixteen-year-old boy and his mother. Don't get me wrong Jamie would jump in front of bullets for you, but the way you changed me and the way you want to change him—two different things".

"I never said I wanted to change him, Nathan, you did".

"Brooke and Lucas aren't the only ones who think it is a good idea to look through his things," Nathan said.

"Oh, who Clay"?

"As a matter of fact—".

"Well, I'm not raising a child with Clay or Brooke or Lucas—".

"I think it's a good idea, too."

Haley paused for a brief second "we always said we would trust our kids. How is going through his things trusting him"? She shook her head before heading towards the door.

"You're right," Nathan said before she had the chance to leave. "We should trust him, and I want to as much as you but he is a sixteen-year-old boy but for you, I will give him the benefit of the doubt".

"Thank you".

"If you make a deal with me".

"When does school start back"? Nathan asked.

"The middle of August".

"Okay, three weeks"? Nathan asked, and his wife nodded. "So, you have had the whole summer to do the disciplining your way—if in three weeks he doesn't seem to be doing any better it's my turn. Deal"?

"I thought we did this together"? Haley asked.

"We do," Nathan said. "And we have always agreed on our parenting methods—until now. You choose to see the good in everyone and I love that about you Hales and maybe you just don't want to accept that Jamie isn't a little kid anymore—I don't know what it is but you're in denial about something. I don't think simply take his phone is going to cut it anymore".

"You're not suggesting we spank him"?

"Of course not," Nathan said. "I just think with his age and his behavior—going behind our backs to get his tongue pierced and partying and—".

"Partying"? Haley asked. "How do you know he is partying"?

"Erm—father's intuition"?

Of course, his wife wouldn't buy that for a second, Nathan hung his head and turned his laptop around.

"These are the pictures on his phone," Nathan told her.

Haley bent down and scrolled down, glancing through the many—many pictures. The first was Jamie and Madison in front of a bonfire—Jamie holding a beer bottle. The second was of Jamie, Andre, and Chuck—all three shotgunning a beer can.

The pictures continued for miles, from what Haley assumed was all from one night due to the fact they were wearing the same clothes in each picture.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Haley said as she slowly sat down in the seat she was in moments ago.

"Hales, he is sixteen— I figured he was drinking from time to time but not like it appears he is. When did he get his tattoo"?

"What tattoo"?

"The one on his back—"?

"Alright, it's a deal," Haley said. "I have three more weeks—but no more snooping from you or anymore else. I have three weeks to handle all this—my way".

"Okay".

"So, log off of that—and don't tell Jamie you know about any of it".

Nathan nodded, though he wasn't exactly sure what he was agreeing to.

* * *

"Okay, so he is not only the cleanest teenager but the most boring teenager" Brooke whispered to Lucas as she peered at Jamie through the crack in the door. "It's summer break and he is reading".

"If you keep talking we are going to get caught, are you sure you texted Haley"? Lucas whispered back to her as he continued to sit in the floor playing with a deck of card.

"Yes—what are you doing"?

"Solitaire" he answered back. "Want to play"?

"No thanks—I still have my real teeth, grandpa".

Lucas rolled his eyes but still smiled, though despite her remarks continued to play. A few moments passed before Brooke sat down next to him.

"Do we tell Haley"? Brooke asked.

"About the weed"? Lucas asked though it seemed like a ridiculous question once he said it. "I don't know. Would you want to know"?

Brooke shrugged "every parent is different—and I'm sensing that Haley isn't handling Jamie's teen years like she thought she would".

"Haley was the perfect kid from birth—I don't think she was ever grounded, except one summer her mom grounded her from books. She was reading to much on a family vacation if I remember correctly" Lucas told Brooke.

Brooke rested against the wall of the closet, knowing her parents never had that issue with her.

"I think we should tell her," Brooke said.

"You do"?

"Yeah, I smoked weed and drank—a lot in high school but if I could go back and instead have someone care for me I would," Brooke told him. "Jamie has that, he has two parents who love him and just want what's best for him. They deserve to know—even if he ends up hating us for it".

"So, can we get out of this closet now"?

"Absolutely not," Brooke said. "We have been cooped in here for two hours—I'm not about to look like a creeper".

Lucas wanted to laugh but settled for a smile. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he completely understood what she meant, and didn't really want to look like a "creeper" either.

Not many grown men hide in teenaged boys closets to play solitaire.

"Knock, knock" the two heard and Brooke leaped at the sound of Haley's voice—though Jamie didn't even flinch, or simply acknowledge his mother's presence. "What are you up to"? Haley asked slowly stepping inside his bedroom.

"Reading," he said without looking up.

"Oh," Haley said.

"Do you need something"? Jamie asked, annoyed.

"Well, Yeah. My car was making an odd noise on the way home and I have to go pick Lydia up—could you take a look at it"?

Jamie let out a long deep breath but tossed his book to the side. "Keys"?

Haley handed him her keys and he quickly disappeared through the doorway.

"You two can come out now," Haley said, after a minute or two.

"Good news," Brooke said opening the closet door. "Jamie is indeed a virgin".

"Bad news, he smokes weed" Luke informed her.

"This day couldn't get much worse," Haley said dropping her head and walking away.

Brooke and Lucas looked at one another before quickly following Haley to her bedroom, where the distraught mother had crashed on her bed.

Lucas and Brooke each laid on a side of her, all three watching the ceiling fan above them.

"He has a tattoo, I didn't even know about it. I don't even know what it is, I only know that it's on his back" Haley said, utterly defeated. "I feel like such a failure as a parent. Nathan and I can't seem to agree on parenting here lately".

"Widow perk," Brooke said.

"You have a strange sense of humor B. Davis" Lucas told her.

"Nathan and I aren't fighting over it—it's not like that but he wants to discipline Jamie a completely another way," Haley told them. "I grew up with rules but my parents let me make my own decisions and that taught me responsibility and maturity. I just wanted to do the same with my kids—I think I turned out great but Nathan thinks Jamie needs more boundaries. I don't know maybe he is right".

"What do you think"? Lucas asked her. "Do you think he does"?

"I don't know, I know he doesn't talk to me—I was going to ask you to talk to him but now it's so messy I don't even know if that would help".

"Or maybe that's a perfect idea," Brooke said. "You don't want him to know that anyone was snooping around his things right"?

"Yeah"?

"So, he works at Luke's garage, right? The one he bought back that was Keith's—Luke owns the place all he has to do is to tell the manager to drug test everyone so that it isn't obvious—when he drops dirty instead of firing him—he and Luke can have some next-generation Keith and Lucas heart to heart. Problem solved".

"That's—not a bad idea actually," Haley said.

"I'm more than just looks you know Haley James Scott".

* * *

"Did you make this"? Peyton asked Chase looking at the colorful drink in front of her.

"I did," he said, nodding her head. "I own Tric so typically I tend to make the dr—".

"No, I meant did you make it, or create it—whatever"?

"It sounds like you have already had enough" Nathan Scott said sitting in the seat next to Peyton. "Trust me, after a couple sips his drinks usually start to taste, alright".

Peyton tossed the drink back, tasting the horrible liquid "you lied" she accused Nathan.

"I said sips," he told her. "What were you thinking drinking something Chase concocted like that"?

"I'm right here," Chase said.

"That must be the cocktail they serve in hell," Peyton said, utterly aware of her gagging reflexes.

Nathan couldn't help but laugh "you smell of booze, come on. Let's get you out of here".

"I just got here".

"Exactly why you're leaving, put it on mine and Haley's tab Chase," Nathan said as he helped Peyton stand.

It took a few try's but eventually, Peyton found her coordination again, and the two made their way outside of the bar.

"I feel like it would be pointless to ask you how you are doing"? Nathan said as he caught Peyton as she missed the bottom step, and nearly took a nose dive into the pavement.

"Why would you say that"? She asked. "I'm wonderful. My marriage is over, my daughter will hate me—just like my husband and all my friends".

"No one hates you, Peyton".

"I haven't talked to Haley on the phone in four months, but Brooke or Lucas press a button and she answers the first ring. You're telling me that's a coincidence"? Peyton asked, though before Nathan could answer he eyed her searching through her purse.

"You're not driving," he said taking the keys out of her hand as she pulled them out. "You and I will walk, fresh air will do you some good".

Half a mile down the road and Nathan had been right the fresh air had been sobering. Not completely, but close enough.

"Why did you do it, Peyton"? Nathan asked.

He fought the urge to ask as long as he could, but he knew his sister-in-law, better than he wanted to admit sometimes.

"I'm assuming you're looking for a more sophisticated answer than a bottle of tequila".

"I would say so".

"I don't know," Peyton said shaking her head. "Actually, you know what—yes I do. That was a lie. I was thinking my husband would rather sit in the floor drinking and laughing with Brooke than so much as look at me. She is my best friend—after Julian died I am the one who invited her to come traveling with us but suddenly it's like we were in high school again. They had their cutesy little inside jokes that I knew nothing about, I don't even know how she is handling Julian death because she won't talk about it to me, but she will sit down for six hours and talk to Lucas about it".

"You don't seriously think he is cheating on you with Brooke"? Nathan asked.

"No, of course not," Peyton said. "But, he might as well".

"Peyton they both lost someone here recently, he lost his mom and she lost her husband. That's probably all that it is".

"And I wouldn't have any idea what that is like," Peyton said. "I had four parents, four—now they are all in the ground. It's more than grieving with Brooke and Lucas, they might not know it but I do. For one night, just one night Nate I wanted to matter to someone—even if it wasn't my husband. I know it wasn't right but I'm done apologizing for it. I never asked Lucas to stay, he made that choice. But, he throws my mistake in my face all the time".

"Have you two considered therapy"? Nathan asked. "I know after that whole Carrie incident—it really helped Haley and me".

"Speaking of".

Nathan immediately looked up to find his wife walking towards them with Brooke and Lucas. The dark skies hid their figures at first, but soon the five meet under a street light.

"Peyton" Haley said, with an obviously forced smile. "Have you two been drinking"?

"Nope," Peyton said. "That would be just me".

"Damn," Lucas said before anyone could say anything else. The rest of his friends looked up, and across the street at the river court where Jamie was—with four others, one of which was Lily, playing basketball.

"Jamie is great," Lucas told his brother. "He is fast".

"I know, he is a hell of a defense but needs to up his game a bit on his offense," Nathan said.

"Is that Q's brother"?

"Andre," Haley told him nodding. "Looks just like Quinton".

"Then that one that needs the haircut and about six showers— that's Chuck—pain in my ass but where Jamie lacks in his offense he picks up. Faster than most the seniors" Nathan said pointing.

"Then the brunette tearing all the boys apart, that's Madison. Jamie's girlfriend" Haley said. "I swear it feels like they have been together as long as Nathan and I have".

"Seriously"? Lucas asked.

"Yeah, Jamie came in one day said he liked this girl—I don't even know if either asked the other to be boyfriend and girlfriend," Haley said smiling. "I remember thinking oh that's so cute and just assumed it would eventually dissolve—they were seven I think and it never did. She keeps him in line better than we do—goes to school and manages the cafe".

The five stood there, together watching the five teenagers run around the river court. Laughing. Joking. And throwing a ball.

"Were we ever that young"? Brooke asked.

"Feels like a lifetime ago".

* * *

_"It's the oldest story in the world. One day you're 17 and planning for someday and then quietly and without you really noticing someday is today and then someday is yesterday and this is your life."_

* * *

_**A/N I warned you that it was long. **_

**_ But, I hope you enjoyed it. I tried to do my best to keep the characters it's true to themselves as they were in the series. _**

**_ Like I said you probably will not like Peyton, at first I felt that it was out of character but then ultimately decided to go for it because it's Ben 10 years since we last saw her. _**

**_ This is going to be a Brucas story, However it will be a slow burn. I love to tell love stories._**

**_ As I said in the prologue no harm will come to Naley, but of course there will be disagreements._**

**_I also tried to find balance with Jamie, Teenagers tend to be one family and A Nother way with their friends girlfriends or boyfriends. That will be explored more upcoming chapters. _**

**_ Now, a question and just leave your answer reviews. _**

**_ Do you like long chapters like this? Or shorter chapters? Fat it shorter chapters they would come more frequently or longer chapters once or twice week? _**

**_Until next time! Thanks for reading! _**


	3. Chapter 3

_**As always disclaimer, I own nothing and all rights go to the rightful owners.**_

**_ I was watching the cabin episode, one of if not my absolute favorite episode, and just threw this together. There isn't really a main or key storyline in this chapter but at the same time it does serve as a little bit of a filler._**

**_ This chapter includes the core five interacting through the majority of the chapter. _**

**_ All arguing and bickering is in good brotherly or spousal fun. _**

**_ Do you not read this chapter if teenage immaturity jokes and talking about masturbation is a trigger for you, always like to give a warning just so no one gets angry by the end. But, if the cabin episode was a favorite for you then that really shouldn't be a trigger. With all the seriousness I just wanted a sort of fun chapter. _**

* * *

"What the hell are the two of you doing"? Jamie asked his parents as he stepped on to the pool deck holding the hand of his girlfriend.

His parents—oh his parents.

He watched from the kitchen, four different times, as his father attempted—and using the word attempted was being fairly nice, and failed to lift his mother above his head as they stood in the five feet of water.

"Tric is having 80's night tomorrow," Haley told her son as she blinked chlorine water out of her eyes, an addition from her latest wipe out after her husband dropped her. Again. "We decided to go as baby and Johnny, from dirty dancing so we are trying to learn the entire dance—including the lift".

"It's actually quite comical," Lucas told his nephew as he sat relaxed in one of the lawn chairs with hands tucked behind his head. "I was going to watch the new Adam Sandler movie but this—so much better".

Nathan splashed water from the pool at Lucas and missed by five inches—earning a wide grin from his older brother.

"Alright, as much fun as this" Jamie said, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "We are going to take off".

"Actually," Madison said letting go of Jamie's hand and walking over near the pool. "Let's stay here".

"I thought we were going to see a movie"?

"We go to the movies all the time and it's always the same anymore. This looks like more fun" Madison said as she removed her sandals and sat down on the edge of the pool, dipping her feet in the pool.

'Love her' Haley mouthed to Nathan and Lucas with a smile.

Jamie groaned but took a seat in the chair next to his uncle.

Madison didn't come from a big family, in fact, she cherished what little family she had left. So, anytime she came over to Jamie's house it was better than a vacation for her, especially when they had family visiting over.

Unlike Jamie, she enjoyed being surrounded by his overly large family, some of which weren't even by blood.

"What do you know—he can actually come out of his cave," Brooke said as she and Peyton walked through the open back door, carrying an exceptionally large amount of shopping bags.

Jamie looked up at his Aunt and Godmother, he didn't need to ask—he knew her witty comment was about him.

"Ha-ha," Jamie said with an eye roll, and a smile. Brooke had always been his favorite.

"I'm giving you five seconds to stand up and hug me," Brooke said as she sat her shopping bags down and placed her hands on her hips. "Or if you don't I'm pulling out the pictures that I'm certain you don't want your pretty girlfriend to see".

Jamie laughed, but he stood up and hugged Brooke—and even Peyton.

"You're so tall," Peyton told him. "When did you get so tall"?

"It's this new thing all the cool teens are doing it—they call it puberty," Brooke said with a wide grin.

"He was six one at his last doctor's appointment," Haley told the girls from inside the pool.

"Looks like you're gonna pass you're old dad up," Lucas said tossing a small basketball, that he was certain was nothing more than a pool toy at the back of his brothers head.

"That's the hope," Jamie told his uncle as he sat back down.

"Lucas I swear if you don't stop throwing things at me," Nathan said, once again attempting to splash his brother.

"What are you going to do big Nate emphasis on the big—it would take your ass fifteen minutes to climb out of that pool," Lucas said, relaxing his hands behind his head once more, completely unbothered by his brother's threat. "Haley wanted Johnny and got stuck with poor cousin Billy that carries the watermelons".

"Shut up," Nathan said shaking his head. "I'm not that big".

"Ever since you hit that desk job I'd say you have put a few pounds on in the old keister—twenty, maybe thirty".

"I have not gained thirty pounds," Nathan said putting his hands on his hips. "Hales, would you tell him"?

"I said maybe thirty," Lucas told his brother, though unable to wipe the smile off his face. "You see Jamie—that's the best part about having a little brother it's so much fun to tease. This boy needs a brother".

"We are working on it," Haley said with a simple smile.

"Really"? Madison asked with a wide smile.

"Yes," Nathan said nodding.

"I assumed you two were done".

"I think we all made that assumption," Nathan told her, though he was looking at his wife.

Haley rolled her eyes "you knew when you married me I come from a big family".

"I did," Nathan told her. "Although, I assumed we would just have more right after Lydia. I just didn't know we were spacing our kids out by a decade".

"Eight years is not a decade".

"Close enough, and even if you got pregnant today—Lydia would be nine the time you gave birth," Nathan said. "If we keep having kids like this—we will never be done".

"I think it's nice" Madison interrupted Nathan's rant. "I have always wanted a big family".

"I have six brothers and sisters—there were seven of us growing up," Haley told her.

"I always wanted to have seven or eight kids," Madison said with a smile.

Jamie—who had zoned himself out of the conversation at the mere thought of his parents having more children, because that meant they were having frequent sex, and despite all common knowledge Jamie chose to believe his parents didn't do that sort of thing. It made sense—biologically, but the teenager chose to go against all scientific fact—like the air in his lungs, that his parents had ever done that sort of thing.

But, the sixteen-year-old quickly caught himself up in the conversation at his girlfriend's last statement.

"Who the hell you marrying"? Jamie asked, his head snapping up from his cell phone, for the first time in twenty minutes. "You'll be lucky to get one from me".

"Please you're a Scott," Madison said with a dramatic eye roll. "I have been around long enough to know you all screw like the bunnies and have superhuman sperm—which is exactly why you're still a virgin".

Lucas couldn't help but laugh, at his nephew and his girlfriend. Although he was impressed by Madison—not many sixteen-year-old girls would have the guts... no the balls to say that around family members—let alone her boyfriend's mom and dad.

Both of which thought it was just as funny as Lucas—and slightly relieved at the sound that their son had yet to have sex.

They had both heard it on different occasions, but like she said he was a Scott—so every day they heard it was a big relief off their chest.

"What is it like"? Madison asked, with a smile looking at her boyfriend.

"What's what like"?

"Being the only virgin on the entire basketball team"?

"You're a virgin—and you're on the girl's team so you tell me".

"But, I'm not the only virgin, that's the difference," Madison told her boyfriend.

"You don't want my answer here—trust me," Jamie said looking back down at his cell phone.

"Oh, come on—enlighten me. Do they tease you any? I mean Chuck—Charles Scolnik of all people lost his virginity before you. There must come some torture with that. So, what's it like, baby"?

Jamie locked his phone and set it to the side, he did warn her.

"No, I don't get teased—because I'm the best on the team" Jamie informed her, with a cocky—pun intended, smile. "Because the longer you don't put out, the longer I'm a virgin the better I get—I have the strongest right arm on the whole team".

And there it was.

"Oh, my god" Brooke shrieked. "That's disgusting—Jamie".

Lucas, yet again found himself laughing. God how he missed Tree Hill.

Haley—looked as though she might pass out. The mother was mortified.

"She asked—twice".

"Was that really necessary"? Haley asked her son, throwing her hands on her hips.

"Oh, come on," Jamie said. "All guys do it—damn. We learn to do that before we tie our shoes".

"That's not true," Peyton said shaking her head.

"Yeah, it is" Lucas and Nathan—both, groaned, though not proud of their statement.

"I can't deal with you sometimes," Madison said, as she hid her face in her hands from embarrassment—through her boyfriend found quite a bit of amusement in the situation.

"We have been together for ten years—".

"Nine".

"Nine years" Jamie corrected himself. "We have spent the past nine years together and we already have three good years of foreplay behind us. It's a necessity".

"That's a bit dramatic," Haley said shaking her head. "Tell him, Nathan—we were together for months before we got married and you never did that".

"Two words," Nathan said looking into his wife's eyes. "Carpal tunnel".

"I can't believe men actually do that—that you actually do that" Madison said, shuttering at the mere thought.

"Maddi, it's not like we have a few kisses and that's it," Jamie said, though at this point no one—him included, understood why the conversation was still going. "When we kiss there is... grinding and touching of—things," he said suddenly feeling awkward about the conversation. "We have made out for hours and hours—so when we are done I come home and Brooke myself".

"Oh, my god" Brooke said, shrieking once more. "Who in the hell taught him that phrase"?

"Guilty," Lucas said with a smile, raising his hand.

"Can we all just stop?" Haley said, her face pale and her voice low—and somewhat whiny like a child who had been told no to a piece of candy. "I didn't even know you knew what that—was for".

Haley didn't need to clarify what the 'that' was, it was pretty clear when she found herself unable to look her son in the ey.

Maybe it was a joke. Maybe it wasn't.

But, Jamie laughed. And he laughed.

Although, Haley would have picked any other topic—literally anything else to talk about it was nice to see her son smile again. Laugh. Joke, with her.

"Ma" Jamie said shaking his head, hysterically rolling. "Come on I'm sixteen, I'm not six".

"Just knock before you go in his room" Nathan warned her.

"Twice," Lucas said. "I once didn't hear my mom—very traumatic experience".

"More traumatic than the time you couldn't"? Peyton asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

And for the first time in forty-five minutes—Lucas quit laughing.

Although, everyone else did. Except for Madison.

"He couldn't what"? Madison asked.

"Oh, my god" Jamie said throwing himself back on to the lawn chair covering his face with his hands.

"Have sex" Nathan said unable to complete a full sentence.

"Why are you laughing"? Haley said splashing water at her husband. "Do you not remember what happened after Jamie was born"?

"Whoa—" Lucas said, throughly wanting to hear the rest of that story. "What happened after Jamie was born".

"Well—".

"Look, I think childbirth is a beautiful thing" Nathan spoke before his wife had the chance to. "My girl has brought me, two, beautiful healthy children—naturally, it's just that...I was eighteen and young and maybe that's not something an eighteen-year-old should watch. I definitely shouldn't have watched, I watched Lydia and it was fine. I really think the age had something to do with it".

"Nate" Lucas warned before this story got any longer.

"I got a little gun shy".

"For four months," Haley said, interrupting him.

"You're telling me," Madison said holding her hand up. "That men—don't want sex sometimes"?

"Oh, no they want it," Peyton said. "They just can't—Perform it".

"Every man experiences at least once," Brooke told her.

Haley finally climbed the ladder, finding her way out of the pool and to the nearest towel—her toes revealing some similarity towards a raisin.

"Is anyone hungry"? Jamie asked as he picked his phone back up. "I'm starving".

"We just ate," Madison told him.

"That was two hours".

"Sex and food" Brooke whispered to Madison low enough no one else would hear, specifically Haley and Nathan. "The way to any man's heart".

"I'm going to run and grab a pizza—does anyone want one"?

"Yeah, my wallet is on the counter," Nathan told his son.

"I got it—anyone picky".

"No mushroom," Brooke said.

"Okay," Jamie said as he stood up. "Baby, you want to go"?

"No, I think I will stay here—if that's okay," she said, to which her boyfriend nodded. Not that she needed to ask. "Te Amo" she called to him as he walked away.

"Yo también te Quiero" Jamie called back as he walked towards the door.

Haley looked at Lucas, unable to actually communicate with words her eyes cut through him like glass—until he got the point.

"Wait," Lucas said, unwillingly considering how comfortable he was but unrecognizable by his voice. "J-Luke," he said standing up. "I'm going to ride with you if that's alright".

Jamie hesitated, but nodded "sure, yeah. That's fine".

The two walked through into the Scott family home, through the house, and out in the door in silence. It wasn't until the reached Jamie's car that either spoke. "You can take your shirt off now, you're parents won't see your tattoo" Lucas told his nephew, looking over his shoulder as if his parents knew nothing when in fact they did.

"What"? Jamie asked as he unlocked his vehicle.

Lucas rolled his eyes "you're far to smart to be playing dumb Jamie" he said.

"How did you know"? Jamie asked, hanging his head running his fingers through his blonde hair.

"It's one hundred and one degrees outside, no one and I literally mean no one would be wearing a long sleeve shirt unless you have a tattoo that I'm guessing you don't want Noah and Ally to see".

Jamie snickered but his uncle was, in fact, correct, though that wasn't how he knew about the tattoo.

"Was it a clean establishment"? Lucas asked, suddenly.

"Yeah, it's outside of Tree Hill," Jamie told him. "I went with the whole team, every year once all the freshman turns sixteen we go to this place where this guy works. It's no big deal, a couple of hundred bucks and we get our last name across our back, and our number then we get Ravens across our chest. It's basically our jersey—without the jersey".

Lucas nodded. "But, that wouldn't be even visible if you wore a t-shirt—so is that all that you got"?

Jamie shook his head. "Ever since we were kids Andre and I wanted to get a tattoo for Q, so before we went up there with the team we designed this wicked tattoo. It's got praying hands with these rosemary beads underneath a basketball, at the end rosemary beads is a cross and it has Q's name in it, the day he died, and the day he was born".

"Okay".

"Andre is going into engineering one day, he is a wiz—smart as hell. So, he got it on his back... small on his back".

"Just going to take a long shot and say you went in another direction"? Lucas asked.

"I was going to do the same thing—I swear," Jamie told him. "But, right before I left I got into it with mom and just wanted to piss her off because she pissed me off so I told the guy to—".

Jamie shook his head and finally just removed his shirt for his uncle to see for himself.

"I got a full cover half sleeve, he added some cool designs but it starts at my at my shoulder around my collar bone and ends just below my elbow," Jamie said. "Mom is going to freak".

"No," Lucas said, shaking his head—honestly. "She is going to kill you, we will have fried Jamie for dinner—get in the car before your parents see you".

The two got in the car, and Lucas watched as Jamie started the Engine and put the car into gear before pulling away—though he couldn't take his eye off his nephew's massive tattoo.

"This is why you don't make permeant decisions on temporary feelings," Lucas said, as he continued to observe the ink. "I mean don't get me wrong, whoever did a great job but you're not going to see the light of day for a very, very long time you know that right"?

Jamie simply nodded as he drove. "Could you stop staring at it"?

"I'm sorry, it's huge. It takes up half of your arm".

"Hence the phrase half sleeve".

"I remember when I got my tattoo—I was nervous to tell my mom, you must be absolutely mortified".

"I think she knew about the one on my back, I mean everyone on the team gets it," Jamie said. "Or she knew that I was going to do it, maybe she didn't. I thought I mentioned it to her, she said we would talk about it but that was last October after my first game. She might have forgotten but—".

"Jamie, forget about the one on your back, its Haley, she probably does know about it," Lucas said, though that probably was definitely he just wasn't going to mention that. "I don't even think she is going to notice it once she sees this—you don't have a visible piece of skin up here".

"I'm driving—can I have my arm back"?

"Right, sorry," Lucas said.

Jamie pulled his SUV off the road and parked next to a sidewalk before turning to face his uncle.

"I got the things—pissed, which I was going to get it anyways just smaller and on my back. But, I get it and I come home—ready to show it to her just to set her off" Jamie said.

"Naturally".

Typical teenager.

"But, then she had cooked me my favorite dinner and apologized and I couldn't tell her. She is going to be so mad" Jamie said.

"Exactly how long have you had that"?

"Almost three months".

"So, you went behind her back not just got one tattoo but two—one relatively large tattoo and have hidden it from your mom for a significant amount of time"?

There was no point in answering, everything Lucas said was right on the money.

Facts.

"Can I ask you something"? Jamie asked as he sat back in his seat.

"No, I'm not loaning you the money to get it lasered off," Lucas said immediately.

"No," Jamie said laughing at assumption, though he can't say it wasn't a good idea. "It's not that, it's not even about the tattoo".

"Okay, then what"?

"Well—it's just, I was—".

Jamie trailed off looking straight ahead at the stop sign in front of him, unable to make his lips move once more.

"I'm not a mind reader J-Luke," his uncle said. "What is is it"?

"Anything we talk about—it stays between us, right? You don't tell mom or dad or even aunt Peyton"?

"I don't tell Peyton what color underwear I'm writing about these days let alone anything else," Lucas said, though by the look he was getting that didn't answer his nephew's question. "Of course it stays between us".

"How old were you—when you first—the first time you" Jamie looked away, as he had trouble asking the question out loud as he looked at his uncle. "Sex" he blurted out. "How old were you your first time"?

Lucas was certain his eyes were so wide that his eyeballs would fall out, this was really happening.

Damn it.

"I was around your age," Lucas said. Close enough. "Why"? Lucas asked.

"Madison and I have never had sex—have you ever heard of girls above the waist rule"?

"That how she is"?

"Yeah—with extra venom," Jamie said. "Up until recently, she had this above the chin rule—no neck or anything. Now, it's nothing below the neck".

"Well that's progress," Lucas said with a shrug.

"Except I have a thirty-second rule when I even get to the neck," Jamie said running his fingers through his hair, with shaky hands. "That's not the point. The other day she mentioned she was close to being ready".

The writer of the family, the published freaking author—had no words. The man who makes a living, out of words was speechless. Instead, the only thing that came out of his mouth was "Oh".

Oh.

Lucas Scott, National Book Award Winner five times, New York Times best seller over a dozen different times said oh.

"Now it's all I can think about," Jamie said, unaware of his uncle's sudden comatose state in the passenger seat. "I mean sex is all I thought about before but this-this is different Uncle Luke. It's not exciting or sexy—my palms are sweaty. Every time we are alone and we kiss, I get nauseous—like I just ate at a Mexican restaurant in the bad part of town nauseous. She didn't specify when she would be ready, just that it would be soon. But, soon could mean a year or two—I'm freaking out".

"And you want to have sex, too right"?

If duh was a look, Jamie had it.

"Right," Lucas said, with a small chuckle. "Before we go any further protection—do you have protection"?

Lucas already knew that answer, from the snooping through his room portion earlier this week but some secrets need to stay secrets.

"Yeah," Jamie said.

"And you know how to—put—on," Lucas said, swallowing the large lump in his throat. "Correctly. And you got the correct size it's not too big or too small, some come in different sizes".

"I mean I guess. I don't know, I wasn't exactly going to ask for a fitting room when I purchased it".

This was more traumatic than the time he couldn't have sex.

Lucas suddenly had very bad feelings towards Haley James Scott, this was her idea and this is her fault.

"Okay, when you are alone—you really need to try it on," Lucas said, unable to look the teenager in the eye. "Most fit everyone—but there are some that are for men of a—larger portion. And some are for men—who—didn't quite make the cut. If you get one too small you can bust it—and if it's too big it can fall off".

Jamie listened, but unfortunately for Lucas, he had more questions. "But, she is on birth control, so how bad do we really need the condom"?

"Trust me I have been a teenaged boy—I know it's aggravating and you would much rather just rip the damn thing off and go— commando" of all the words to come to his mind in this situation. "But, even if she is on birth control—especially when it's your first—rodeo you don't know how her body can respond to the birth control".

"Can I ask you something—personal"?

There was a moment in his life Lucas remembered being in a life or death situation, he suddenly wished he had gone into the warm welcoming light.

This was his hell.

It had to be.

His brother has sex and sixteen years later Lucas is paying the piper.

"Yeah," Lucas said—though he wanted to say hell no.

"I know the basics, I mean I know the gist of how it works—but what do I do exactly"?

Oh, my God.

This could not be happening—but it was.

* * *

_**A/N Poor Luke! **_

**_ So, about Jamie's tattoos and piercings and all that, that does have a much larger storyline to it. It's actually part of Jamie's key storyline. And I didn't just want to have him go out getting a random tattoos that still fell out of character for me so I did make them meaningful in a way and since basketball is such a large part of the series I incorporated that. But, like I said it does serve a greater purpose which will be revealed later on._**

**_ In one of the reviews by guest named Trish, they asked about Karen. In the story she is deceased and has been for a significant amount of time, when she passed Lucas was granted sole custody of his sister. Peyton and Lucas continue to travel for a little while before, now currently, moving back to tree Hill. _**

**_ Julian and Karen are Deceased, which were two of my favorite characters, but the characters list is so long and I wrote a story years ago on another account that I tried to include everybody and it just got too chaotic. I don't want to happen with the to this story, but their deaths will be explained and explored in flashbacks._**

**_For those asking for more Naley, the next chapter will be jammed packed with it. _**

**_But, Brucas fans will not be as happy because it will also have a lot of Peyton and Lucas, but it is the beginning of the end. Like I said Brucas is a very slow burn—but end game! (as it should have been)_**

**_ Like I said before I started this chapter, it's really just a fun chapter to write and was more of a filler than anything else. _**

**_ thanks for all the positive feedback that the story has already received, it helps me update so much faster. _**

**_Have a wonderful weekend! _**


	4. Time of my life

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to it one tree hill, any of the songs used, or the movies mentioned/etc._**

**_ If you don't like sex, kissing, or mushy mushy lovey dovey Steph don't read any further. This chapter is filled with all of the above. _**

* * *

_Now I've had the time of my life  
No, I never felt like this before  
Yes I swear it's the truth  
_

_And I owe it all to you_

* * *

"You could make a man fall to his knees Haley James".

Haley turned around, quickly at the sound of her husband's voice, the pink dress that hugged her body perfectly catching in the wind from the fan in the window. The first thing she saw when she turned around was Nathan's eyes, but that wasn't all she saw. She found her husband dressed head to toe in black—leather jacket and all. It wasn't a look he sported often, or at all, and in the current moment, Haley couldn't think of why.

Although, there was denying he was her perfect Johnny—all except the dancing.

"Damn, my husband is so sexy," Haley said as she slowly ran her hands up Nathan, feeling the leather material of his jacket slowly graze her fingers.

"I hope you still say that when you're in the hospital after I drop you tonight," Nathan said.

Haley smiled, though she wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. Maybe she should have asked—but she didn't seem to care at this specific moment.

The wife and mother, that was dressed head to toe as Frances "Baby" Houseman, wrapped her arms tightly around her husband's neck and leaned up on her tiptoes planting her lips firmly against his.

There was something about her kiss, that even after all these years still seemed to get Nathan. He lifted his wife up with an arm, receiving a light squeal from his wife as he made his way towards the bed.

Haley never intended for it to be more than a kiss—appreciating her husband's appearance, but it quickly escalated and the clothes that she thought were so sexy on him found their way to their bedroom floor. As did hers. They both knew they would be late to Tric, especially Haley considering she had been looking forward to this night for weeks but even she didn't seem to care.

For now.

* * *

Lucas tugged on the black tie he had around his neck—though if he had it his way he would just rip the damn thing off. Which he would, in fact, do—later on, that night, but for right now the crooked tie look would just have to satisfy his wife.

Which it did.

"Sixty dollars—even" he heard as he walked down the staircase, and looked up to see a pizza delivery man standing at the door with his nephew.

Lucas watched as Jamie pulled cash out of his wallet, and handed it to the man before shutting the door with the pizza man's exit.

"You hungry"? Lucas asked as he watched Jamie walk across the living room with a stack of pizza boxes.

Jamie chuckled "Andre and Chuck are coming over. We are going to hang out, play on the PlayStation—" he glanced over his shoulder before whispering "drink a few beers" with a simple shrug. "Just chill," he said, with his voice at a regular tone this time.

"You got that much pizza for you and two other guys"? Luke asked.

Jamie rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm not having a party—I swear," he told his uncle. "If I were going to do that I wouldn't do it while mom and dad are in town, they could come home at any minute. This pizza will last us until tomorrow night".

Lucas felt doubtful, but then he looked and Jamie's brand new thousand dollar gaming system was indeed hooked up to the large flat screen in the living room. Not to mention—the teenager was wearing a pair of Athletic shorts and a large pullover—that it was way too hot for, but Lucas knew it was to once again hide the large tattoo from his parents.

Either way, his outfit wasn't exactly party wear. Even for a teenager. And he had just bought sixty dollars for pizza, not many teenagers would do that if they were going out.

"You're really not having a party"? Lucas asked, confused.

"Contrary to popular belief, uncle Luke—teens don't party every weekend," Jamie told him as he kicked back on the couch. "I worked all day—I had to replace an Engine on a 94 Sedan".

Lucas tilted his head, in confusion. When he first arrived Haley was distraught over her son's behavior—which it made sense until moments like this.

"Why exactly are you wearing a suit"? Jamie asked as he looked at his uncle up and down.

"Peyton and I are going as Sean Penn and Madonna," Lucas said.

"Well".

"Well, what"?

"I thought you, Brooke, and Peyton would go as Jack, Janet, and Chrissy," Jamie said, with a grin as he opened the first pizza box.

Lucas would like to contact any previous statements.

"So, it's eighties night right"? Jamie asked, and his uncle nodded.

"Yeah".

"Then why is everyone dressing up like it's Halloween"? Jamie asked, curiously. "Mom and dad are full on dirty dancing, you and Peyton are living life like a virgin, and Andre said Skills has gone straight up Magic Johnson—what's the point"?

Lucas scratched the back of his head, unaware why this kid kept asking him all the questions. "Well, during the eighties—these were popular movies and celebrity couples—so with eighties night—" Lucas slowly trailed off.

"You have no clue do you"?

"Nope," Lucas told him honestly. "I could care less. My marriage is about to crash and burn so I'm just in the car holding on for dear life, my wife bought me a suit so I put the damn thing on. As long as there is whiskey, I don't care".

Jamie chuckled, lightly—until the sound of a phone ringing caught the attention of the two Scott men. Lucas pulled his phone out of his pocket, looked at it for a split second, before pressing the ignore button, and then dropping it back down into his pocket.

"Who was that"? Peyton asked as she walked into the living room with an overly large wedding dress on.

"It was a number from Charlotte," Lucas told his wife.

"Who is in Charlotte"? Jamie asked, not that it was his business although he didn't seem to care.

"No one," Lucas told his nephew. "That's why I didn't answer it, I don't answer phone numbers I don't know".

"Well, I'm not putting you as my emergency contact," Jamie said.

Lucas laughed, before awkwardly taking his wife's hand "you look beautiful" he told her. "Are you ready"?

"Aren't we driving in with Nathan and Haley"?

"We were—but they're going to be late".

"There car is still here—why don't one of us just run up the stairs—".

"Because," Lucas said taking his arm, wrapping it around his wife's waist and whispered, "when I came down it sounded like they were currently—indecently exposed".

"Oh".

* * *

Madison ran her dust rag over the empty table inside of Karen's café, she knew it was going to be a slow night. It always was on Saturday nights when Tric did anything special, for that she was thankful. She knew the night would consist of no more than ten customers, maybe a few deliveries, but the rest of the night would remain slow with the sight of the sun setting.

"Okay," Lily said. "Taste this one, tell me if I finally got it right," she told Madison as she sat the small cup down on the counter.

Madison smiled as she walked over to the counter, lifted the cup, and took a small sip. She smacked her lips together as she felt the warm liquid slid down her throat. "Better," she said nodding. "The cappuccino and latte machine is the hardest to get the hang of. But, you're doing great".

Normally, Madison utterly hated training new employees and as a manager, she would simply pass it off to someone else, but this was Lily's first day. She had ties with the girl, and her mother had been the original owner—not to mention she was related to Jamie in one way or another.

And lucky for Madison, not only was Lily great to be around but she was a quick study.

"I'm never going to get upset over my Starbucks order again," Lily said as Madison sat down on the stool.

"Well, you certainly won't around here—closest Starbucks is forty-five minutes outside of town".

"What"? Lily asked, her jaw dropping. "Are you serious"?

Madison laughed at her reaction "the café and a dinner a couple of miles away are the only things we have that is going to get you your caffeinated drink for the day. But, if you're a Starbucks drinker—I would stay with the café the dinner only serves coffee. And it's cold most of the time".

Lily looked as though she had just had her heart broken, although it didn't last long. After hearing the news she sprang into action and quickly started attempting to make her favorite orders when she visited a Starbucks.

"So, are you and Jamie cousins or what"? Madison asked.

Lily shrugged, she had really never thought of it so she wasn't quite sure on that answer, though it was a logical one. There was some relation, somewhere. "My dad and his grandfather were brothers, my brother is actually my brother and my cousin. Nathan is my first cousin—so that would make Jamie my second. I think".

"I'm sorry about your dad, Jamie told me that story once," Madison said.

"Thank you," Lily said sincerely. "Luke—is annoying and overbearing and he nags—a lot. Over everything, but I could never imagine doing what Dan did. I'm happy he is dead, but there is a part of me that wishes he wasn't".

"Really? Why"?

"Because I want to know why he did it," Lily said shaking her head. "He stole my father from me before I ever had the chance to know him, to love him. I lost my mom a couple of years ago, and that hurts—like hell. But, I have memories with her—when I get sad about it I can sit down and think of something, anything, and smile. I can't do that with my dad. I only have pictures, and the what if stories Lucas tells me. I have always wanted to look him in the eyes, and ask him why he did it. That was his brother, you're supposed to protect your siblings—not hurt them".

Madison looked up at Lily, she continued to work but her eyes looked like glass. The way she nibbled on her bottom lip told Madison how much it broke Lily, how tormented she was over the unknown.

"Here sit down," Madison said pointing to the stool next to her, and she watched as Lily hesitated—as though she wanted to keep working, probably a way to not allow her mind to escape to the place she was heading. But, after a few passing moments, she nodded and sat in the stool next to Madison. "It's not fair, it won't ever be fair. But, maybe it's good that you won't ever know those answers. I know you think you want them, you do in fact want to know them, but—from what I know Dan was a horrible human being. Even Jamie has said it, I think the last place you need to be is inside the man of a man capable of stealing his brother's life".

Lily had never thought of it like that before, though it didn't take the pain away Madison was right.

"Jamie is really lucky to have you," Lily told Madison, smiling.

"Oh, I know," Madison told her with a wide smile. "When he forgets I remind him—which is pretty much every day".

"How long have you two been together"?

"Since we were in grade school, he has been my boyfriend as long as I can remember," Madison told her.

"Seriously"?

"I always counted it from the first time we met," Madison said with a small laugh. "When my parents moved from France, neither spoke English. So, they hired an English tutor from the time I was one. I started going to school when we were in the first grade, and that's when I met Jamie—and he has been a pain in my ass ever since".

"You're from France"?

"No," Madison told her. "My parents are—Well my mother is, my mother was born and raised in Sarlat-la-Canéda, My father is from Spain—unfortunately, they were deported when I was seven—They live in Barcelona, and I'm a US citizen so—".

"You haven't seen your parents since you were seven"?

"No," Madison said shaking her head. "It cost a lot of money to travel to To a place like that, I don't even have a passport yet. That's why I work so much so that one day I can go visit them. They have been denied access to the United States for now—all because they didn't report a change of address. I had already started school when they were deported and they didn't want to move me away from my friends that I already had, and I speak better English than I do Spanish, so it just made more sense to them to let me stay Where I had grown up".

Lily couldn't decide which was worse, longing to have her parents on this earth or them being here and unable to see them.

"Do you live by yourself"? Lily asked though she was certain she hadn't lived by herself since she was seven.

"No, my parents bought a house and I live there with my former teacher—Lauren, and her son".

The two girls had hit it off from the moment they were introduced to one another, but with most of the residents at Tric—leaving the café the girls really took an interest in getting to know each other.

"So, do you cheer"? Lily asked Madison as she had begun filling the salt and pepper shakers.

"God, no" Madison said with a laugh.

"Sorry," Lily said with a laugh. "I think I just assumed, Jamie is in basketball and the basketball players always date the cheerleaders".

"Jamie has a bigger chance of being a cheerleader than I do. I'm the shooting guard for the girl's basketball team" Madison informed her.

"So, you and Jamie both play basketball—and you're together. That's so love and basketball, best movie ever by the way" Lily said. "So, do you two score or strip? For two basketball players—that has to be the best foreplay".

Madison giggled but confused her new friend when she shook her head. "Jamie and I—we have never had sex. We have never seen each other naked, he has seen me in a swimsuit but I have never even let him see me in my underclothes. That's probably weird".

"Wait," Lily said. "You two—you're a virgin"?

"A lot of sixteen-year-old girls are virgins".

"Yes, that's not the shocking part—the shocking part is that you have been with him for years and years and you have never" Lily trailed off, though Madison still shook her head in response. "Not even a little bit"?

"Erm—I don't really understand that statement but no. Nothing. We kiss a lot but that's it".

"Wow. Wow. I don't mean it like that—I think that's great" Lily told her. "Trust me if I could go back and be with some guy for the first time that totally cared about me the way he cares about you I would. That must be nice, knowing no matter what happens—even if you split up, you can always say that you lost your virginity to someone who loved you more than anything."

Madison froze as she listened to Lily's words—that was the first time anything about sex made sense to her.

"I traveled so much, I have never even been in a real relationship" Lily explained. "So, I had sex with some guy back in Germany just to get it over with. If I had known that we would be moving—permanently to Tree Hill I would have waited. If I could trade places with you I would—except for the Jamie part, that's disgusting".

* * *

Nathan walked into Tric holding the hand of his wife as they both took a quick scan of the room. Haley smiled at her new view, knowing this would be one of her favorite nights she would ever spend at Tric. And it had yet to officially start.

"This is probably what the tour bus to Guns-N-Roses looked like," Haley said with a wide grin.

"Way too much neon," Nathan said shaking his head.

Although the lights were off—every single one of them, the bright lights kept it nearly visible. The two could see one another, but the rest was a guess.

"When did Chuck's mom start working here"? Nathan asked.

"I'm not sure" Haley responded.

"Is this the best place for a former alcoholic to work"?

"She has been sober for a couple of years, she seems to be doing really good. And she is just a waitress—I wouldn't worry too much about it. She has come too far to fall back now, we wouldn't let her—there is Lucas".

Haley practically drugs her husband to the bar where Lucas stood with Brooke and Peyton.

"This is awesome," Haley told the three. "Hey bartender" she called for a Chase, who quickly walked over after serving two customers. "We would like five shots—keep it with the theme of the night".

Chase laughed and nodded before returning with three shots "the slippery nipple" he told them. "Enjoy".

Despite the name, the three all picked their drinks up.

"Cheers" Haley said, excitedly.

The group of five turned their small glasses up and downed the liquid in less time then it took to make them.

"Woo" Brooke said smacking her lips. "I can't believe Chase made that, it was good".

"Oh, my god" Peyton said as a new song started. "Def Leppard, Who is dancing with me"?

"Me" Brooke told her grabbing her best friends hand.

Although, he wasn't sure which one of the girls grabbed his hand Nathan found himself pulled on to the dance floor.

Haley smiled as she watched her husband dance, he was a dork and aside from the occasional slow dance—he wasn't blessed with any particular moves. But, he was her dork.

"Damn, my husband looks so hot," Haley said elbowing Lucas in the ribs.

"Dude" Lucas said shaking his head. "So gross".

"No, you're supposed to say something about Peyton now".

Right. Of course.

How could he forget?

"Damn—look at them chicken legs".

Haley rolled her eyes "You can't even see her legs" she said as she picked up a menu from the bar. "Long Island ice tea sounds promising—what do you think? I'll order two".

Before Lucas had the opportunity to respond—she was already ordering. Moments later Chase brought the two a drink as they each sat down at a stool at the bar, and began sipping on their drink.

"So, Jamie—".

"I'm not telling you what we talked about" Lucas interrupted her before she could say anything. "I don't want to break his trust, so stop asking".

"That's not what I was going to ask," Haley said, although Lucas didn't believe that for two seconds. She didn't either. "Fine. That's what I was totally going to ask" Haley admitted. "I just—".

"Do you know why Keith was such an amazing uncle"?

"Because he was Keith—that alone entails a whole lot of awesome and perfect—".

"No," Lucas said. "I mean yes—but not my point. When I told him something, confided in him—he didn't run and tell my mom. I'm sure he would if it was a life or death situation, and if Jamie ever puts himself in danger I will tell you no questions ask" he said. And he meant it. "But, you asked me to talk to him, feel him out—make sure he is not getting into things he shouldn't be. I agreed, I never once said I would tell you what we talked about or what he told me".

Haley poured, like a toddler who hadn't gotten their way. But, Lucas simply laughed—for the past twenty-four hours his best friend and sister-in-law had continually tried to pry the information her son gave Lucas.

It had yet to work.

"This is all I'm going to tell you—he is a normal kid," Lucas said. "Is he doing things maybe he shouldn't? Of course. He is a teenager, we all experimented—even you drank. But, it's Saturday night and he isn't at some party he is at your house, hanging out with friends. You could have it a lot worse—that's not saying he doesn't party. I'm sure he does, but you and Nate—both of you are freaking out over something that isn't there".

"He has changed-".

"Of course he has, he isn't a kid anymore and that scares the hell out of you," Lucas said.

He wasn't wrong. They both knew that.

"I just wish he would talk to me—he hadn't seen you in years and just completely opened up to you like no time in the world had passed," Haley said.

"Do you know why that is"?

"Yes, no. I don't know".

"Because he is a teenager and a boy. I loved my mom so much, but when I was sixteen she was the last person in the world I wanted to talk to about—anything" Lucas told her. "I know it's hard to hear but you and Nathan are looking for something that isn't there. You need to stop wanting to be his friend, those days are over. You need to be his mom, he is going to act out and get into trouble—he will never agree with you until he moves out, probably. But, compared to a lot—he is a pretty damn good kid".

Sometime during Lucas' rant, Haley had disposed of her drink—and a refill. She probably would have drunk another—because she was certain he wasn't done but he pulled his phone out of his pocket that was lit up.

It had to be vibrating, there was no way he heard it ringing over the loud music. But, he pressed the ignore button and stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

"You can step outside and take that—I will be alright," Haley told him.

"No," he told her. "I don't answer numbers I don't know, it's the second time tonight someone from Charlotte has called my phone".

"I'm thinking they want something".

"Then they can leave a message," Lucas said before turning back towards Haley. "Where was I"?

"Lecturing me about Jamie—something about he is a damn good kid," Haley said as she sucked the last of her drink through the straw.

"Right, whatever the case might be—I'm not going to be your spy. If you want to know what's going on with Jamie. You didn't want to invade his privacy—this is the same thing".

"What about the weed"?

"Hales, it's weed, I just said he is going to experiment—but I did do a drug test on the employees the other day I sent it off it will be back in seven to ten business days—but unless he comes back on something hard—I won't tell you".

"You're so stubborn".

"Pot meet Kettle".

* * *

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Chuck told Jamie with a shrug as the teen stuffed over half of a pizza into his mouth.

"They won the playoffs—three years in a row," Jamie said, before finishing off what little liquid he had in his beer bottle. "You're not really sitting there telling me that was just luck".

"No" Chuck admitted, honestly. "They had a home court advantage".

"Home court advantage my ass" Jamie said shaking his head. "You're either good or you're not, it doesn't matter if you play at your home court or away or in freaking Timbuktu".

Chuck shook his head "that's bull and you know it. When you're playing at home you have a huge advantage. That's the same court you practice on every single day, so when you're playing an opponent—they are on your turf. You have the upper hand".

"Skill is skill, I'll kick your ass on your turf or mine" Jamie disagreed. "The place is not important, it's the skill".

"Yeah, well basketball is a team sport it's not just about your skill—it's about the twenty other guys on the team, not just you, you know J-Luke".

"I didn't mean it like that if you would open your ears for five minutes—".

"You know Alzheimer's—that's genetic" Andre cut in before Jamie could finish or Chuck could put a sentence together. "I didn't that. Mom—she sometimes goes back to her childhood or she thinks I'm dad—once she thought I was Q" he said as he rubbed his palms together. "I just want you two to know—if I end up with moms disease, and I loose my mind—and I come back and relive this moment, I will physically hurt the both of you".

"Oh, now he started it" Chuck said pointing at Jamie like children in trouble. "You know he always starts it".

"I do not".

"Do so" Chuck said, and turned to his other friend. "Tell him."

Andre paused, and in the spirit of putting this argument to an end he looked at Jamie and said: "you do tend to start it—a lot".

"Ha," Chuck said turning and pointing at Jamie, who sat with his jaw hanging wide open.

"And you are just as bad, you always disagree with him—just to get a rise out of him," Andre told Chuck, who suddenly dropped his finger—and pouted, to which Jamie smiled. "You two are more aggravating than a hemorrhoid during a parade".

"Have much experience with that do ya"? Chuck asked, raising an eyebrow.

It was meant as a joke, but Chuck suddenly wasn't sure if he wanted Andre to answer that or not.

"Shut up," Andre said.

"That's not an answer," Jamie said with a wide grin.

Andre rolled his before gathering the empty beer bottles and standing up.

"Where you going"? Jamie asked.

"Someone has to get rid of this before Nathan and Haley get home," Andre said, shaking his head.

A few moments later Andre returned, only to find that Chuck and Jamie had cracked opened a few more beers.

Except now the two were sitting side by side, laughing like two hyenas, on the couch.

"Don't you think you two have had enough"? Andre said dropping his head at the sight.

"Nope," Jamie said with a loud pop.

"Not at all" Chuck agreed, with a dramatic head shake. "You're only a four—I'm not drunk until you're cute enough to sleep with".

Jamie bust out laughing, but only briefly.

"Oh, what would you know"? Andre said. "Last I checked—you have no clue what he is talking about. Why don't you leave this conversation to the big boys".

Jamie grabbed one of his moms throw pillows on the couch and lunged it at his friend.

"Ouch," Andre said sarcastically, rolling his eyes before tossing it to the side.

An hour passed, and quickly too. Chuck and Jamie each found themselves over ten beers drunk—until Andre disposed of the remaining beers that had not been drunk by his two idiotic friends.

But, they found energy drinks—so now instead of drinking until they passed out the two were energetically drunk.

Which felt worse. Much, much worse.

* * *

'_And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes_

_They tell me how much you care_

_Ooh yes,_

_You will always be_

_My endless love'_

Nathan held Haley close in his arms, as the two sway together—like many other couples on the dance floor.

Peyton and Lucas included, though neither had looked at one another since the song began.

But, Nathan however—held his wife as closely as he could without it being deemed inappropriate—not that he cared. He held her hand in his, their fingers interlaced perfectly, and his opposite arm tightly around her waist.

"I miss you" Nathan heard Haley say, though for a split second he wasn't entirely certain she had spoken until he looked down at his wife who had her eyes closed as she leaned her head against his chest.

"I'm right here," Nathan said, slightly confused by his wife's statement.

"I know it's just I miss you," Haley said, leaning back to tilt her head to look up at her husband, not making anything less confusing for him. "I miss ya. I miss this" she admitted sliding her hand up and down his chest. "I know that we have jobs and responsibilities—but this is important, too. Look at Luke and Peyton—".

"Don't?" Nathan said shaking his head before his wife could finish her thought. "I'm not Luke and you sure as hell aren't Peyton, that's not going to happen to us".

"But, it already has".

"What"?

Nathan knew his wife, and he knew what she was and was not capable of. He knew there was no way she would ever cheat on him, he trusted Haley more than he had ever trust himself—and he knew he didn't cheat. So, he was quite confused by her statement, causing a small giggle from his wife.

"Not in the fashion they are currently going through," Haley said pinching the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "But, we are divided".

"You're talking about—".

"Jamie" Haley said nodding her head. "After we made that deal the other day, I couldn't sleep. It was the first time—as long as I can remember that I fell asleep and I wasn't laying in your arms. We slept with our backs to each other".

"You were asleep when I home, I had some work to do I turned away so the light from my computer wouldn't wake you and then I fell asleep reading".

"The sleeping thing isn't the big picture here—I don't want us to be divided, about anything. I know that right now with Jamie—it's complicated" Haley admitted. "But, I want us to come to an agreement together not I do my thing and if it doesn't work we will try yours. We have never worked that way, I don't want us to start now".

Nathan softly smiled, as he held her face in his hands and softly brought her lips to his, even if for a brief second they felt like the only two in the room.

"Get a room," Skills said.

"Yeah, songs over" Brooke agreed as she walked out on to the dance floor holding Skills hand.

Nathan and Haley laughed, they weren't sure when it was but the slow song they were dancing to had in fact ended.

_Tommy used to work on the docks,union's been on strike_

_He's down on his luck, it's tough, so tough_

_Gina works the diner all day working for her man_

_She brings home her pay, for love, for love_

Haley grabbed her husbands hand and pulled him over to the middle of the floor where Skills and Brooke were dancing.

"No, no," Brooke said waving her finger. "This is for single people—only. You're not living on a prayer—you're living on the whole damn religion with the kiss I just saw".

Haley laughed before wrapping her arm around Brooke, and despite her comment—which was most definitely meant as a joke, began dancing with her friend.

"Where are Luke and Peyton"? Nathan asked, looking over his shoulder to find they had disappeared.

* * *

Lucas laughed, as he helped his wife lift the large bottom over her overly large Wedding dress she was wearing, as the two ran down the stairs at the exit of tric. The two stumbled and laughed their way through the parking lot, as they searched for their vehicle.

"Out of all the outfits Madonna wore—and I chose this" Peyton said, laughing after her another near trip.

Lucas turned around to find Peyton had lifted the bottom of her wedding dress to remove the shoes she had been wearing, before tossing them to the side with no regards as to who picks them up or if she would ever see them again. The blonde then ran to catch up with her husband and he grabbed her hand, as she helped him scan the parking lot she suddenly felt her feet pulled out beneath her.

Lucas had lifted his wife up and had her pinned against something, a vehicle—Peyton only hoped that it was theirs. But, for the moment she didn't care, neither of them did.

She wrapped her legs tightly around Lucas' waist, although it was much more difficult than it had ever been—once again her dress got the blame. Peyton felt Lucas lips on her neck and heard a rattling, which she assumed was the sound of his belt.

"Your damn dress" Lucas said—aggregated before Peyton heard a large ripping sound.

Neither cared how much money she had paid for it, or that she planned to return it first thing Monday morning. For now, it was the only thing standing between the married couple—and parts of it did.

Peyton wanted to smile but found it very difficult. It was the first time she had been intimate with her husband, in months, and they were in the parking lot of a club like teenagers, not like a couple who had been married for a decade.

The two kissed—their lips rough as they tangled with one another's, their movements out of sync after the time they spent apart—sexually, and the lack of emotion the moment between them had. It all went recognized by both, but neither spoke of it.

At least not right now.

* * *

Madison turned the key, locking the café as she left—taking one last scan inside the building through the door to make sure everything was intact. It was probably why she was Haley's favorite employee, although Lily would be running a close second very soon. That is if it wasn't a tie.

"That was so much fun," Lily said, as Madison came off the last step next to her.

"Just wait—you get to work Monday morning with me," Madison told her. "Tonight was a slow night, but Monday mornings will make you question your sanity".

Lily laughed "I don't care," she said shaking her head. "It's the first time in my life I have felt like a normal teenager".

"So, you have never gone to school"? Madison asked, and Lily shook her heads. "How did you make friends"?

"I didn't," Lily told her with a shrug. "Besides Jamie—you're my first friend. That is if you consider yourself my friend, I mean technically you're my boss—".

"I'm your friend" Madison assured her. "I have grown up with Chuck and Jamie and Andre—I don't think I have ever had a friend that had a vagina".

Lily laughed "then come over, stay the night. We are both off tomorrow, we can have a—what are they called? A sleepover. We can do one of those".

Madison hesitated, at first but eventually said "okay".

The two climbed into Madison's car, and she drove them quickly to Jamie's house. It was a route she was all too familiar with, but they talked the whole way. It was oddly refreshing, for both of them. They neither one had ever had someone they could talk to like they were talking with each other.

It wasn't until they walked through the door of Nathan and Haley's home that they realized that moment was over.

"What in the hell is going on"? Madison said, immediately, indicating she had been taking care of these boys far too long.

The three boys stood—side by side dancing, in their underwear—wearing cowboy hats.

Lily smiled, and then she laughed, all while Madison stood with her hands on her hips like a mother. It was proving just how long she had been putting up with the three.

"Hey, baby," Jamie said.

"Don't you Hey baby me, James Lucas" Madison said as she walked further into the house.

"We were just—" Chuck began.

"I saw what you three were doing," Madison said, as she shut the horrible country music off. "I see beer bottles, cigarettes, and what I'm hoping is an unused condoms—".

"We were blowin—" Jamie began.

"I don't care. That's what I see. What I don't see is your moms clean—organized house. What if I had been your parents"? Madison asked him.

"Well, then I probably wouldn't be able to get out of trouble with a kiss," he said wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

"The liquor—the beer, and not to mention the tattoo they still don't know about. You would be grounded until the end of time and we have our annual camping trip coming up" she said pinching the bridge of her nose shaking her head. "The fact that you don't get grounded for your head being shoved up your ass is beyond me".

Jamie smiled, before leaning down and kissing his girlfriend. It didn't completely eliminate her anger, though she did kiss him back.

"Well," Chuck said shaking his head. "I'm sober".

Madison pulled away from Jamie before turning to Andre and said: "you are supposed to be the responsible one".

"I am," he said honestly. "I only had three beers, I don't know what happened".

Chuck laughed, "we spiked his beers—then spiked his drinks".

"Okay," Madison said "that explains that. You three go upstairs—shower".

"Together"? Chuck said wrapping his arms around his two friends and winking.

"Eww".

"Get the hell off me".

"I don't care," Madison told him, ignoring her boyfriend and best friends reaction—ultimately telling her that they would not be showering together. "Just go shower. There are five showers in this house, find one—you three smell like the inside of Charlie Sheen's house".

"And just how would you know that my little french, chérie," Jamie said puckering his lips out—and not in a sexy way.

"Her dad is from Spain" Lily added. "So, she isn't just French".

"Fine" Jamie said nodding holding his hands up in surrender. "My little—querida".

"You're like a dog with a bone, James" Madison told him.

"She just called you James," Chuck said elbowing his friend in the ribs. "You're in trouble now".

"All three of you will be in a massive amount of trouble if you don't get upstairs and take a shower to wash that horrible stink of alcohol off of you".

"I'll go—Antwon made me clean his room last time I got in trouble. The most traumatic thing I have ever endured—and I'm nearly an orphan".

"Come on Jamie," Chuck said as he and Andre disappeared up the staircase.

Madison assumed her boyfriend had been following his friends but found herself to be wrong when she suddenly found her lips locked with Jamie's. She hated when he was drunk, but oh she loved the way kissed her when he had been drinking.

"You need a shower," Madison said, regretfully pulling her lips away from his. "You taste and smell like whiskey".

Madison had yet to see a liquor bottle, but she was certain she would find the evidence briefly.

"Why don't you come with me"? He whispered in her ear, before planting a small just before her lobe. "You could help shower me off—I forgot what soap was".

It was a joke, she knew that. Jamie wasn't one to pressure her, never had been. It was his absolute best quality.

"I need to clean up your mess," Madison told him, running her fingers through the hair on the back of his head. "But, maybe on our camping trip".

And she turned to walk away, to leave him with that. Dramatic exit and all, or that was the plan anyway.

Jamie grabbed his girlfriend by her hand and pulled her into the secluded hallway, backed her against the wall, and pinned his body against hers.

Madison looked up at Jamie as he took both of her hands, interlacing their fingers "don't tease" he said, smiling.

"When have you ever known me to tease"?

Jamie's smile dropped, she had a point. The blonde looked into the eyes of his girlfriend, and she never broke. She never smiled, she never laughed or looked at him with her 'got you' look.

"I—erm—I don't understand," Jamie said, though he wasn't sure how or why those were the words he landed on. "When you said you were about ready—I guess I just assumed you meant months or even a year, I didn't know you meant this... soon".

"Do you not want to"?

Was she kidding?

Jamie wanted to roll his eyes, how could she even ask him that. But, he figured that probably would not be in his best interest—instead he grabbed both sides of her face and he kissed her. Lightly. Softly.

"Of course I want to—have sex with you," Jamie said, though he never thought he would have to assure her of that. It felt odd to him, to even say it. "I'm just surprised is all. I don't want this to come out the wrong way" he said, scratching the back of his head. "Why"?

"Why what"?

"Why do you suddenly want to have sex? This has been an issue for us—for a while and I want to have sex with you—god I want to have sex with you" he said, causing her to laugh at his desperate words. "But, I just need to know this is what you want—I need to make sure that this—that I didn't influence your decision in any way. I need to know this is your decision and not mine, baby girl".

Madison bit her lip, oh this boy makes her weak in the knees sometimes.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I want you," she said softly running her fingernails down his bare chest, causing a chill to run down his spine. "I want all of you. This is my decision, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else—but if something happened, I'm not saying that it would" she quickly said before her boyfriend spoke up defensively over their relationship. "But, if it did—I never want it to be anyone else".

"It never will be," he told her. "Is that the only reason"?

"No," she said with a smile and looked around to make sure they were alone, but still lowered her voice as she talked. "I want this. Us. When we kiss—you know how I have my boundaries"?

"You mean your rules from hell"? He asked with a small laugh. "First it was no below the chin, now it's no below the neck and even with that I have a thirty-second timer from the second I hit the neck—".

"Do you know why"? She asked, and he shook his head. "Because, I didn't want to make this rush decision because of how you made me feel in that moment, I wanted to make this decision—over my body, a decision I can never take back, over how you make me feel when you're not around. We have been together our whole life, but I didn't want that to be the reason we became physical. That's not a good enough. Sex is a big deal for me, but I am ready. I want to be with you, every way there is to be because of how I feel about you, even though you're a drunken idiot right now you still are making sure that I really am ready. You love me that much—you tell me how much you love me every day, now I want you to show me".

Jamie didn't hesitate before he brought her lips to his, kissing her—brushing his lips softly against hers.

"Ahem" the two heard—after what could have been forever, then turned to find Lily standing at the end of the hallway. "Don't mean to interrupt—that was Lucas. He was making sure I got home safely, he said the night is starting to wind down and they should be home in a couple of hours—if that".

"Okay, thanks," Madison told her.

The two watched as Lily walked away before Jamie wrapped one arm around his girlfriend's waist and said "I'll go take that shower now" with a small smile.

"Wait," Madison said taking his hand "what's your favorite color"?

"Odd change of topic—".

"On me"? Madison asked as she ran her fingers along the rim of his boxers.

Jamie swallowed hard—pun intended as he looked down at his girlfriend. It was hard for him to pick a specific color she looked absolutely stunning in everything she wore, but he remembered a night they attended a banquet with his parents that made him well aware that his feelings went far beyond emotional.

"Red".

Madison bit on her bottom lip and nodded. "Go," she told him. "And cover that tattoo up, you're not getting grounded for the next two weeks".

"I'll kiss my parent's ass if I have to".

* * *

It was the first time Peyton and Lucas had been intimate, in what Peyton was certain had been forever but she never felt more distant from her husband. She watched from afar as he spoke on the phone with his sister, and fastened his belt. The troubled wife wasn't sure what had come over the man she had spent the last decade married to, and she didn't ask. She wasn't sure if it had finally just been too long, the alcohol, or if he had finally forgiven her—she remained hopeful of the last option though she was pretty certain it wasn't that one.

"What are you doing"? Lucas asked.

Peyton looked up "I'm trying to rip the rest of this dress around, it's ripped right up the middle—I'm pretty sure someone would know," she told him.

"Here, I'll do it".

Peyton didn't have time to respond before she heard the sound of her dress ripping, and she watched as Lucas tore it. What had started off as a beautiful wedding dress had quickly turned into a mini dress with ridged edges.

"Erm—thank you," Peyton said, surprisingly shocked by her husband's strength.

Lucas disposed of the remains of the dress as the two began to make their way back inside.

"Alright," Peyton said coming to a quick stop. "Where did that come from"?

"I'm sorry"? Lucas asked as he turned to face her. "Did you not enjoy that"? He asked tilting his head.

"We haven't had sex in months, and even when things were good you would never have sex with me where anyone could see—not even in a hotel room on the tenth floor with the curtains open. I'm just trying to understand".

"It must not have been that good if you're asking questions about it," Lucas said with a shrug. "Or maybe it's only fun when it's a stranger and your husband is at home taking care of your sick child".

Peyton froze. She felt sick. She wasn't sure how many more times she could handle hearing those words.

"That—was because of-".

"I'm going back inside" Lucas announced before Peyton had a chance to even form a sentence in her head.

He didn't know if she followed him inside, he didn't know if she left, and he didn't care. Lucas walked inside and joined his friends, knowing good and well he never had questioned any of their loyalty.

"Where the hell have you been"? Nathan asked his brother.

"Nowhere important," he said with a shrug. "What did I miss"?

Nathan went to respond, but the music stopped and the room went delicately quite.

"Alright" the DJ spoke over the silenced club. "Now, it's time for you to bring your gal on to the dance floor—and have the time of your lives".

Haley nearly leaped out of her skin as she grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him out on the dance floor.

"Nate can't dance," Skills said. "What the hell do they think they are doing"?

"They have been rehearsing—for days," Brooke told him.

"I pray to God he doesn't drop her," Lucas said.

There were a few extra couples on the floor, but the three watched Nathan and Haley as the song began. The beginning was simple, it was easy—even for Nathan.

It was when the tempo changed, and sped up to an upbeat rhythm that the three were left shocked. Step for step. Move for move. The couple lit up the dance floor.

"Well," Skills said putting his hands on his hips. "I'll be damned".

"They really are Johnny and Baby," Brooke said as she sipped on her drink, with awe in her eyes.

"Yeah" Luke agreed. "If Johnny and Baby got married in high school instead of tearing up the floor of a country club".

Brooke rolled her eyes at Lucas, although she smiled at the same time.

"Woo" Brooke yelled at her friends, as the rest of the couples had made their way off of the floor. Rightly so. Nathan and Haley moved together, perfectly.

"I can't watch," Lucas said.

The lift.

Lucas had spent enough times watching dirty dancing with the many women in his life to know what was coming next. He covered his eyes, nervous that the next thing he would hear was going to be a crash and sirens.

But, he didn't.

Lucas heard claps and cheers and when he opened his eyes his baby brother had his Haley lifted above his head.

"Holy hell," Lucas said, his mouth hanging wide open—but a smile across his face as he joined the rest of the crowd clapping.

"Tutor girl still has it," Brooke said.

Lucas didn't ask, but instead, he grabbed Brooke's hand and pulled her out on to the dance floor. She was shocked at first, but like so many other couples that joined Nathan and Haley, they moved to the rhythm of the beat.

"Alright," Lucas said, as they danced close to Nathan and Haley. "How did you teach him that? What's your secret"?

"Natural and raw talent," Nathan told his brother before Haley could answer.

"And my bare ass to kiss," Lucas said.

Haley laughed as she watched Lucas and Brooke dance and swing and dip and move together, for a split second she forgot who Peyton Sawyer was. That was until she looked up and saw the blonde standing in the door, for only a split second. After seeing her husband dancing with another woman, her best friend she stormed out the door.

"I should go after her," Nathan said.

"Don't?" Haley said. "Look," she said pointing at Lucas and Brooke, the two were laughing as they danced. "Going after her is probably the right thing and she will come back in here then they will either make up or fight. But, look how happy they are—Brooke and Lucas".

"Yeah".

"I'm sorry," Haley said, shaking her head. "I just haven't forgiven Peyton—and it just drives me crazy when you talk to her" she admitted.

"What she did is wrong Hales—I'm not denying that but she has no one in her corner right now".

"She had a whole team," Haley told him. "She made the decision to sleep with a man, a man who was not her husband. I don't want to talk about Peyton".

Haley took her husbands hand and led him off the dance floor, to the back, and into Tric where she shut and locked the door.

"I want to talk about sexy my husband is," Haley said as wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck, kissing him. "You were so sexy out there".

Nathan pushes Haley up against the locked door, and he kissed her. First smoothly, brushing his lips softly against hers, but as she pushed the leather jacket off of him to the floor their lips moved together like wildfire.

It was dark inside of Tric and they couldn't see each other very well but they mad due as they heard their new favorite song come to an end.

Haley wasn't sure when or how—or why, but she sat on Nathan straddling him on top of the pool table. Kissing him. Ripping open his black button up shirt, not caring that he still had to wear his shirt home.

Right now she only had one thing on her mind.

Him.

Nathan.

All of him.

Right now.

And for forty-five minuets on a pool table in the back of Tric, that's all that stayed on her mind.

* * *

Brooke couldn't take it anymore, even though Haley and Nathan's front door was five feet away. She bent over and removed her shoes—the most uncomfortable shoes ever made. She was certain of that.

"No wonder red was such a popular color in the eighties," Brooke told Lucas as she balanced against him, removing one shoe after the other.

"Why's that"? He asked, confused.

Brooke assumed Lucas thought she was just really drunk and rambling, it wasn't out of character. But, she knew what she was talking about.

"Because the inside of every woman's shoes was covered with their blood—it would blend in," She told him. "No one would be able to notice".

"Hasn't red always been a popular color"?

"You're missing my point," Brooke said, as she removed her second shoe.

Lucas took her shoes out of her hand and laughed, as the two noticed headlights in the dark night.

"Nathan and Haley are home," Lucas said pointing at the vehicle approaching them.

"Was they finally able to pull themselves off one another"? Brooke asked, rolling her eyes. "Everyone got laid tonight—except me. You and Peyton had hot sex out in the parking lot—Naley had sex—twice and my vagina has dust on it".

"How do you know what me and Peyton did"? Lucas asked as Nathan parked his car and shut off the Engine off. "Or how many times they had sex? And when did they have sex a second time—".

"Please, I'm Brooke Davis—I'm like the weather woman for sex," she told him as she tied her hair on top of her head. "It's a talent".

The sex with Peyton hadn't been great, well it was—it started off great. But, halfway through Lucas ran into issues, he could only picture his wife with another man. So, since he was picturing things, he pictured Brooke. It was the only way it was ever going to end.

Although, he wouldn't never tell her that, or at least right now. He would, eventually.

"Where is Peyton"? Nathan asked, as he and Haley exited their vehicle and walked towards the two.

"I have no idea," Lucas said. "I called her five or six times before we left. No one was in the parking lot".

"Maybe she went home with a lot lizard," Haley said, shrugging.

"Do you even know what a lot lizard is"? Nathan asked his wife.

"Isn't it like a whore or something"? Brooke asked.

Lucas laughed, though any other man wouldn't find it funny over the idea of his wife being with anyone else. But, this husband didn't seem to care anymore. In fact, he didn't care at all. So, he laughed, and he laughed.

"I'll look it up," Brooke said as Nathan and Lucas continued to laugh, before pulling out her phone. "Well, it's a whore—I had that part correct".

"A truck stop whore," Lucas said laughing.

"Should one of us go out and look for Peyton"? Nathan asked.

"She will either come home or she won't," Lucas said, shrugging his shoulder. "I'm not going out at three thirty to search high and low for her. It's late—I'm tired".

"What if, it's a test"? Brooke asked. "To see how much you care, when I would fight with Julian I would do that. To see if he would come after me—that always showed me how much he loved me".

"Then I fail," Lucas said shoving his hands in his pocket and walking towards the door.

Nathan and Brooke shared a look, though Haley followed Lucas—unbothered by the simple fact that Peyton was nowhere to be found.

Ultimately, the two found themselves standing at the door with Lucas and Haley—who opened the door. When they stepped into their living room the only light was from the television that was currently playing what looked to be a Billy Jack movie.

"When did this become teenage central"? Nathan asked his voice low as he stood at the door with two of his friends and his wife.

Five—sleeping teenagers, lay across the living room floor. Lily was stretched out on the couch with her arm tucked behind her head, Andre was occupying the recliner—Nathan's favorite seat and Chuck had squeezed his long figure into the love seat. Jamie slept in the floor next to his girlfriend as they were stretched across a blanket, Madison asleep on her stomach—and Jamie on his back with one arm behind his head and his leg propped up.

"Are we okay with Madison staying the night"? Nathan whispered to Haley.

"She is actually with Lily," Lucas told them. "I spaced when Lily asked and told her yeah".

"It's fine," Haley said. "Let's go upstairs".

"Wait—this is my favorite part," Nathan said pointing at the TV.

Haley rolled her eyes as her husband stood watching the tv.

"And if I don't"? Haley heard the man on the tv say before another voice said: "I shoot you right between the eyes".

"I'm going to bed," Haley told her husband.

"I'll be there in a minute," he said, his eyes still glued to the television.

"Fine," she said shrugging and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "But, I'm not wearing any clothes to bed".

"Yeah, let's go to bed," Nathan told her taking her hand as the two quickly made their way up the stairs.

"I'm going to vomit," Jamie said, from behind closed eyes.

Lucas and Brooke laughed, quietly.

"Goodnight J-Luke" Lucas told his nephew as he and Brooke disappeared up the staircase.

Jamie didn't bother saying goodnight back, they were already gone. Instead, he opened his eyes and laid there watching the movie on that was playing on the screen.

When he looked over he saw his beautiful girlfriend, sound asleep. It had taken shower, water, and rest but he finally felt the liquor had worn off. Jamie glances around the room at his friends to make certain they were asleep before slowly rolling on top of Madison, pressing his torso against her back.

He kissed behind her ear, on her neck, and down until he heard a small and soft moan escape from her lips. "What are you doing"? She whispered though he couldn't see her face he assumed she had opened her eyes.

"Trying to wake you".

"Well, you were successful".

Madison turned around so that she could see her boyfriend, or attempt to in the darkened room.

"I just realized something," he told her, running his fingers down her body, past her hips, and to the outside of her thigh. He picked her leg up and hitched it over his waist—moving in closer to her. "This is the first time we have ever slept together—next to each other".

"You're right," she told him wrapping her fingers around his neck.

Madison pulled Jamie's face down to hers and she kissed him. They didn't bother starting off soft and easy, after the conversation they had hours earlier they both were hungry for one another.

But, they weren't the only couple in the house that were hungry for one another. As the two found themselves tangled in one another—with their clothes on, Nathan and Haley found themselves in the same position, pun intended, with their clothes off.

Upstairs in their bed, Nathan and Haley kissed and loved one another, completely. It could have been minutes, hours, or even days—and the two never would have known.

Maybe it was the nearly eighteen years of marriage behind them. Maybe it was the amount of time they spent apart as Nathan worked through the spring and early summer. There was a number of things it could have been the dancing, deciding to never be divided—on anything, or just being together.

But, this night—was like no other.

The two wanted each other, more than they ever had before. And the proved that. Time and time again throughout the night.

"Thank you," Haley told her husband, as the two laid beneath their sheets—Nathan hovering just above his wife.

"For the sex—or—"?

Haley laughed at her husband "well that to" she said with a smile. "But, no. For being—you".

"Did I do something good"?

"Oh, you have done a lot of good things tonight," Haley told him. "But—I just look at Peyton and Lucas, and I just feel so thankful for you".

"So, my brothers failing marriage is what has sent your sex drive into overtime tonight"?

Haley laughed "no," she said. "I am just thankful for what I have".

"I love you, Haley James".

* * *

The sun was in the sky, though it had yet to fully rise as Lucas stepped outside. He felt the warm and dewey air blow softly against his face, as he heard the sound of a ball hitting the ground.

The sound of a basketball dribble, it was a noise he would never forget though it was a noise hadn't made himself in quite some time.

He never admitted it out loud, because he was proud of his accomplishments, but he related to Dan when it came to basketball. That was his dream, a dream he never got to live out.

Luke stepped around the corner to find his sixteen-year-old nephew. He watched a handful of times as Jamie made skillfully sink the ball into the hoop that sat high above the garage door, picked it back up as it rolled on the ground, and repeated the action. Each time taking two steps back.

Lucas hadn't seen him play since he was a child, and even then he was quite talented. And that still remained, most of the shots he made Jamie wasn't even really paying attention, he could easily tell his nephews mind was somewhere else.

Lucas walked over on to the blacktop, gaining Jamie's attention "what are you doing up this early"? He asked his nephew.

"Nothing," Jamie said, his breathing barely altered by his movement.

What Lucas wouldn't do to be sixteen again, for many—many reasons.

"Just clearing my head".

"What would a sixteen-year-old boy need to clear his head about"? Lucas asked as he climbed on top of the picnic table, and sat down.

Jamie hesitated, for a split second, but then turned to face his uncle as he gripped the sides of the ball in his hands.

Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was out of habit. Lucas couldn't tell, but he could tell that whatever the kid had on his mind he was about to be let in on.

"Madison—we talked last night".

"The hickie on her neck I saw as I walked out the door tells a different story," Lucas said.

Jamie half smiled "she told me she is ready—to have sex" he slowly finished his sentence.

"And that's bad because—you're—I'm drawing a big flat blank. I thought that's what you wanted—"?

"In theory—yes," Jamie said. "In reality—I'm excited".

"So, you're clearing your head because you want to and she wants to"?

"I'm freaking out uncle Luke" Jamie admitted to him. "I make a lot of jokes about sex but—erm—when Madison and I were fooling around last night I got—really excited".

Lucas nodded, knowing by "excited" he actually meant "aroused" but not the sixteen-year-old boy is going to use that word.

Hell, Lucas wouldn't use that word and he is in his thirties.

"We weren't even having sex—we just kissed, but she had her legs around me—and there was—moving—".

"Dry humping"?

"Can we not call it that"? Jamie practically begged. "But, when I'm on top—I can move away when it gets to be too much".

"You mean like her feeling how 'excited' you get"? Lucas asked choosing to keep the phrase his nephew picked.

"No," Jamie said shaking his head. "We don't just kiss for ten minutes, we have made us for hours before".

Lucas nodded, it made sense—they had been together for years and have never had sex.

"So, when she got on top of me last night I couldn't move away or—last night I almost—erm—" Jamie shook his head in embarrassment "I almost got as excited as I could get, and we weren't even having sex".

Lucas didn't laugh, he wanted to though. Unfortunately, it was something he very well understood—but Jamie didn't find it hilarious at all. He would one day, today was not that day.

"So," Lucas said. "You're nervous because you're worried that when you two officially cross that line—you'll get too excited to fast".

Jamie nodded slowly. "What do I do"? He asked. "I want it to be good for her, too".

"The good news, she is a virgin. She won't have anything to compare it to" Lucas jokes.

Despite the stress, Jamie smiled, although the humor didn't take his anxious feeling away as he sat down on the picnic table next to Lucas.

"Okay," Lucas said. "I do have a solution for your problem".

"What's that"?

"First—stop psyching yourself out. It's your first time—with someone other than yourself you're going to get excited fast. It's every time after that—if you're still not lasting a year later then be stressed" Lucas told him.

"Right now I'm only concerned about this time".

Lucas nodded, as he searched his head for the best way to tell Jamie his advice, he might be the cool uncle but he wasn't this cool to just blurt it out.

"Alright," Lucas said nodding. "If you go to the bank in the morning and make a withdrawal by yourself and you go back later that day with Madison to make another withdrawal—you won't have as much money in the bank so it will rise longer. You get me"?

The two went from awkward phrases to dreadful metaphors, but unfortunately for Lucas, it seemed that his nephew was more confused than ever.

"Yeah—no. I have no clue what that means".

"If you Brooke yourself beforehand you have a better chance of lasting longer," Lucas said pinching the bridge of his nose—unable to make eye contact with his nephew. "You still won't last that long but you might last longer. Unfortunately, every teenaged man goes through this their first time" he explained.

Lucas had never been so excited—happy—any phrase that didn't indicate sex, to hear his phone ring.

"What in the hell"? Lucas asked as he looked down at his phone.

"Who is it"?

"This number from Charlotte has called me twenty times—hold on J-Luke I'm going to take this".

Jamie watched his uncle step away and for a minute he began swinging the ball back through the hoop.

Just a minute.

It was his uncle's voice that caught his attention.

"No," Lucas said shaking his head profusely. "That's impossible—I don't understand—but how? What do you mean"?

Jamie watched as the color drained from Lucas' face as he finished his call and pressed the end button.

"Is everything okay"? Jamie asked as he stepped forward towards his uncle.

"Jamie, do you believe people can come back from the dead"?

"No, why"?

"Because someone just did".

* * *

'_Cause I've had the time of my life  
And I owe it all to you_

_I've been waiting for so long  
Now I've finally found someone to stand by me  
We saw the writing on the wall  
And we felt this magical fantasy  
Now with passion in our eyes  
There's no way we could disguise it secretly  
So we take each others hand  
'Cause we seem to understand the urgency_

* * *

_**A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter, no one has come back from the dead someone, and you will find out who in the next chapter did not die as everyone thought they had. I just liked the wording. This is not a supernatural story. **_

**_When it comes to writing about sex and kissing I try my best to find the median between cute and cringe worthy, but Nathan and Haley got it on through most of the chapter, and They nailed the dirty dancing dance. What can I say Haley is a miracle worker?_**

**_ I know this probably wasn't Brucas fans favorite chapter, but I did say Brooke and Lucas would be a very slow burn. I just feel that Lucas leaving a marriage and jumping into bed with anyone, even Brooke, would be so out of character. But, I did leave a little brooke and Lucas in there that hope you caught it. _**

**_ Just as a thank you for all the wonderful reviews (Only four chapters in and it's already at 31 reviews) I am going to leave a little summary of the next chapter for you, and I will try to have it out as soon as I can. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, it means the world to me._**

* * *

**_Wanted Dead or Alive _**

_As summer comes to an end the teens pack their things up for a weekend away, unsupervised, where things don't go so smoothly for Madison and Jamie—who finds himself in one awkward predicament after another as he tries to take his long term relationship to the next level. Nathan and Lucas have some long over due brotherly bonding as they take a trip to charlotte where they come face to face with a familiar ghost, who they thought to be dead, raising quite a few questions and revelations regarding their lives—and those around them. Finally, Brooke is forced to pick a side when she is caught between Peyton and Haley as the three are stuck inside of Tric that is currently under construction and closed—for the whole weekend._


	5. Wanted Dead or Alive (Part One)

**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! All rights belong to the correct owners._**

**_There is around a two week to a 2 1/2 week time jump between this chapter and the last._**

**_Triggers: teenage drinking, teenage sex, adult drinking, masturbation, and if you really don't like families who tease each other in a healthy and fun way don't read this, because that's my favorite part of Tree Hill. The family. _**

**_Other than that, Enjoy! _**

* * *

_It's all the same, only the names will change_

_Everyday, it seems we're wastin' away  
Another place where the faces are so cold  
I drive all night just to get back home_

_I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride  
I'm wanted dead or alive  
Wanted dead or alive_

* * *

Mortified.

That was the only word Haley James Scott could use to describe her current feelings. She was mortified, absolutely mortified.

And slightly traumatized. Utterly traumatized.

Haley could feel her cheeks burning, matching her hair she had died a beautiful shade of red in the spring. The hot sensation took over most of the top part of her body, she couldn't believe what just happened.

She rushed through the long hallway until she found herself inside her bedroom, and locked the door.

Nathan, who was only half dressed, looked oddly at his wife as she ran her fingers through her hair—squeezing the top of her head as though that would remove the memory of this moment out of her brain.

"Are you alright"? Nathan asked his wife as he tossed a handful of folded shirts into his open suitcase that lay on the bed.

"Yeah" she lied, although it was pointless. "No".

"Hales—you look like you have seen a ghost".

"Worse," she said as she paced back and forth. "I can't leave this room ever—I'm never leaving".

Nathan—Who was no less confused than was when he first asked, watched as wife paced. He hadn't seen her like this in—actually he was quite certain he had never seen her like this.

Haley's eyes were wide and big eyes, and they looked in no specific area. She was white, much whiter than normal. She had quickly gone from lobster red to the color of snow, yes that white.

"Hales—you're freaking me out," Nathan said finally taking her hand, causing her to stop pacing. "What is going on"?

"I just—I just walked in on Jamie," she said shaking her head.

"Doing what"?

Haley shut her eyes tightly—unable to remove the dreadful picture from her head but whispered "himself".

And just like that—Nathan burst out laughing sounding like a gang of hyenas. Haley shoved her laughing husband on to the bed where he rolled and roared in a fit of laughter—he wasn't sure he would ever be able to stop.

But, the more he laughed the more mortified his wife became, and the more mortified she became the more he laughed.

It was a never-ending circle.

Haley, on the verge of an anxiety attack from the horror she just witnessed, grabbed one of her overly large pillows and hit her husband with it.

Repeatedly.

Although, even that didn't stop Nathan's outburst.

"It's not funny," Haley said, giving up as she tossed the pillow to the side.

Nathan sat up running his hands down each one of her arms "you're right" he told her nodding. "It's hilarious".

With those two words, and yet another rumble of laughter falling from Nathan's lips Haley pushed her husband back down on to the bed.

"This is a nightmare," she said.

* * *

This was a nightmare.

Madison found herself three hours deep in a frantic search through her room. The closet had spilled out and her dressers had exploded—even her laundry basket filled with dirty clothes had been dumped out.

Yet, through it all, she still came up empty-handed.

"What exactly are you doing"? Madison heard, and turned to find Lauren—the woman who taught her and has raised her since, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed—slightly confused and slightly amused.

"Just looking for something," Madison said, brushing the question off her shoulder, praying it would end there.

She should have known better.

"What exactly are you looking for"? Lauren asked her, as she stepped into her room.

Madison scratched her eyebrow—awkwardly "it's that stuff I bought from Victoria Secret over the weekend".

"What stuff"?

"Just a bra and a pair of underwear," she told her as she clenched the towel that hugged her body. "It was red".

"There is a bag down by the door—I thought I picked up a wrong bag, I was going to return it".

Madison immediately darted down the stairs, closely followed by Lauren. All the way through the hall, down the stairs, and to the front door—where she found her oversized pink bag sitting.

"I didn't even think that that bag was yours," Lauren said as Madison turned around to face her, though she actually turned around to walk back up the stairs."This" Lauren said pulling a red lacy pair of underwear out of the bag "isn't exactly something I would want to go camping in".

Madison politely took the underwear and stuffed them back inside the bag with a simple shrug—eagerly attempting to avoid this entire conversation.

"They do however look like something I would wear on a date—that I knew would excel past a kiss," Lauren told her as she crossed her arms looking at Madison. "What else is in that bag? Let me look".

Madison let out a deep breath but handed Lauren the bag who walked to the kitchen and emptied the bag out on the table.

"Oh," Lauren said as she held a red teddy by the strap on one finger. "Jamie has a red fetish"?

Madison moaned covering her face with her hands "I asked him what his favorite color was—that's not for the camping trip".

"Brand new pajamas—very sexy," Lauren said in a voice that told Madison that she was saying, but she wasn't talking to her like she would a girlfriend. "I am counting ten pairs of matching underwear and bras, cute little baby dolls and teddies, oh look at this sexy, classy, and a little trashy—Madison how much money did you spend"?

"A lot" she admitted. "I dipped into my Barcelona fund—Lauren look—we haven't done anything. This weekend is supposed to be our first time, I just want it to be perfect and I want to be sexy—".

"You're not my daughter," Lauren told her turning to face the teen. "But, I do love you like one—I just want you to be careful".

"We will—Jamie has condoms".

"Do his parents know"?

"Do mine"? Madison asked folding her arms. "I appreciate the concern but this is my decision and I'm ready to take the next step with Jamie".

Lauren nodded, as she put the large amount items back into the bag.

"Don't take anything white this weekend?" Lauren told her handing the bag back. "The woods—it will get dirty sleeping on the ground. In my bedroom I have foam, I haven't been on actual birth control since before I got pregnant. I always use it as a backup, in case a condom breaks. You can take it".

"Thank you, you're the best".

"Yeah, I'm like the coolest guardian for horny teenagers".

Madison laughed, it was true though.

* * *

Jamie didn't know that this form of embarrassment existed, he had heard of moments like this—although he had laughed at anyone it happened to. Until now. Now he actually felt sorry for anyone that had ever endured this form of humiliation.

He paced his bedroom floor back and forth, for what could have been hours. He couldn't be sure. He was sure that it was past time for him to leave, but every time he looked out his window he saw his mother's vehicle still in the driveway—and there was absolutely no way he could face her.

Not after that. Not after she has seen—that.

God.

The sound of a light knock came from the opposite side of his door, there was no way she would come back to his room—it was a crime scene.

But, when the door opened Lucas stepped in shutting it behind him—locking it, something Jamie probably should have done this morning.

"You heard" Jamie assumed as he looked at his uncle, who clearly had been laughing as he bit on his bottom lip—presumably to keep himself from laughing in Jamie's presence.

"I heard—an event happened this morning, yes," Lucas said, as he continued to fight the urge to keep himself composed.

"I can't even leave the room, Luke—".

And that's when his uncle finally lost the battle he had been fighting with himself. He burst out laughing as he fell into the chair in the corner of Jamie's room.

"We have all been there," Lucas said waving it off, as though it were no big deal. "You live and learn to lock your door. You know my mom walked in on me once before while I was in the middle—".

"I wasn't in the middle" Jamie cut him off.

"What"?

Jamie pinches the bridge of his nose, unsure if he could even repeat it out loud. "I was done," he said as he sat on the foot of his bed. "She walked in at the end—right when I—".

"Wait, wait, wait," Lucas said interrupting his nephew before he could say anything else. "Haley walked in on you—not only as you gave yourself a hand but, as you released the soldiers"?

Jamie nodded.

Lucas was certain he had never laughed so hard in his life, and he wasn't sure he was going to be able to stop. Although for his nephew's sake he wished he could—he just couldn't.

"I was just doing what you told me—I have done it every day for two weeks just to make sure I am able to last for—would you stop laughing"?

"I swear I'm trying," Lucas said as he held his hands up. "It's very hard—".

And with that another roar of laughter escaped from his throat, unable to contain or control the noise.

After what felt like an eternity for Jamie, though it was long enough for Lucas he finally quit laughing. Barely. "How did she not see your tattoo"? He asked as he took deep long breaths to refrain from laughing.

"That's what you're worried about—my mom just saw—".

"I'm trying to not think about to stabilize the conversation if I don't make it about something else I'm going to keep laughing". Lucas told him.

"I was wearing my hoodie".

"You were sitting there in nothing but a hoodie? Seriously? You wear a shirt while you do it"?

"Luke".

"Right, not the point—Everything to the side for a minute," Lucas said. "Are you ready"?

Jamie nodded. "I guess, I'm just so traumatized I don't know if I'll be able to get it back up now".

"Have you ever seen a naked woman—in person?" Lucas added the last part avoiding all eye contact with Jamie, on the verge of laughing once more.

"No".

"Then trust me you'll get it back up," Lucas told him. "You have everything you need"?

"I'm having sex not going to war".

"If you're with the wrong person—the same thing".

"Speaking from experience"?

"Speaking from reality".

* * *

Peyton popped the small white pill into her mouth, she could no longer tell if the banging she heard was real or just in her head. It was probably a significant mixture of both after the past week, ever since Chase made the decision to make a couple of changes to Tric—in the same building where Peyton worked.

"Hey" Peyton heard and looked up to see one of the many, many contractors that had waltzed through the building in the past few days. Although, one of the few that had actually been tolerable, Peyton thought his name was Michael—but couldn't be certain. "We are going to take lunch, so it should be quiet around here for a few hours. The café gives us free food—I think the owner has ties with the man who owns this place".

"Yeah," Peyton said rubbing the sides of her temples as she spoke. "We all tend to run in the same pack—like a pack of wolves".

He nodded, "I just thought I would let you know and then when we get back we are going to be working on some of the wirings so the electric might shut off".

"Thanks for giving me a heads up, I appreciate it".

"You're welcome," he said, but awkwardly didn't move. "It's probably none of my business but why are you staying here"?

"Who said I'm staying here"? She asked looking up at him. "I work here—I own this record label".

"We work long—long hours and you get here before us and you don't leave except to take your lunch".

"Maybe I just work a lot".

"Also, the blanket and pillow on the couch along with the suitcase over in the corner".

"Contractor or detective"? Peyton asked, her voice covered with irritation but yet she smiled. "Believe it or not my home life is much worse than sitting around listening to you tearing a building apart for twelve hours a day".

"Ouch. That bad"?

"You say it as you've been there".

"Oh, yeah," he told her. "Back when I was still married to my son's mom, the end was pretty brutal until we finally decided to go separate ways".

"What made you decide to make that decision"? Peyton asked him. "I mean—you have a child together so I'm just curious why".

"Well, it was our son who made us realize we were doing more harm than good in his life" he explained to her. "We couldn't stand to be in the same room as one another, all we did was fight, and raising our son in a healthy environment was more important to us than having him grow up in one household".

Peyton half smiled at his words, and he went to walk away. "Wait," she said before he made his way to the door. "Your name—Michael"?

"Matthew," he said. "You can call me Matt".

"Matt".

"I'll make sure to leave the door propped open with a rock or something when we head out—you can only open the door from the outside so if you're alone make sure not to close it".

Peyton nodded "thanks for the heads up".

* * *

Chuck tossed the last of the clothes he had decided to take with him into the duffel bag, which basically meant anything that didn't have a foul odor and zipped the bag tightly. He took two seconds to consider that he might have forgotten something but ultimately decided if it was forgotten, it wasn't important enough anyway. The teenager then tossed the bag over his shoulder and walked out his of his bedroom shutting the door behind him and quickly trotted off to his mother's room.

It had been a habit to always check on her before she left, though it was no longer needed he still tended to do that.

"Mom," Chuck said as he slowly pushed the door open. "I'm leavi—".

At first, he assumed his mom was asleep because she stayed up all night studying, even though it was summer break for him she continued to work on her schooling. Or she could have possibly been at work, but that wasn't possible due to Tric being closed for the moment, but he found that the reason she was still in bed wasn't due to either one of those things.

Chuck didn't even finish his sentence, he felt nauseous. There his mom lay—in bed, with Chase.

"Oh, my god" Gretchen said at the sight of her son. "Chuck".

"What—What in the hell—what is going on"? Chuck demanded to drop his bag at his fight.

He very well knew what was going on, he was sixteen not stupid, no matter what his friends chose to tell you.

"This isn't wh—".

"Don't even finish that sentence mom" Chuck interrupted her.

How could they do this?

How could she do this?

Chuck looked from his mom back to Chase, both of which were covered by a blanket—thank God.

"Don't yell at your mom" Chase told him.

Normally he would listen, Chase had always been one of the only men in his life—by choice. The rest was an unfortunate coincidence for those like Nathan, who was his best friends dad.

But, Chase? He chose to be in Chuck's life, he even stood up for him when no one else did. Now, he was laying up with his mom.

"I'm out of here," Chuck said as he picked his bag back up and headed towards the door.

The two must have been quick dressers because by the time he reached the door Chase had beat him and held the door shut with his hand. Sure, he was only wearing his underwear but it was some form of clothing.

"Chuck I can explain," Gretchen said as she came rushing down the stairs tying her robe down around her waist.

"Why? Huh"? Chuck asked turning to face his mother. "Why do you do this? You always ruin everything in my life. You spent the first half of it nearly drinking yourself to death, and now you're screwing Chase. Do you ever take me into consideration? Ever?! Did you once think about how this would make me feel? No, you only care about yourself and your feelings—god mom. I'm leaving".

With that outburst Chuck pushed past Chase—rather he liked it or not.

"I won't have service all weekend so don't bother calling," he told her and with a loud door slam her was gone.

Gretchen felt sick, she wasn't sure if it was her impending pregnancy or the child she gave birth to sixteen years ago. She was certain it was one child or the other.

"When he gets back I will talk to him" Chase assured her.

"I knew he would take it badly—I just didn't think it would be that bad," she said as she sat down on the staircase.

"That was— circumstantial" Chase said as he sat next to her. "He just walked in on his mom, naked".

"It was more than that," she told him, though he already knew. "He was so upset, he thinks he is going to lose the only dad he is ever had".

"But, he won't".

"He doesn't know that," she said. "Any man that has ever stepped over that threshold took off running, but it's different with you. He had you before I did—".

"Stop stressing," Chase told her. "He might feel different when he hears this isn't some hookup. We are having a baby—he is going to have a family. That's something to celebrate".

Gretchen ran her hands over her stomach that had just begun to become visible. "A family," she said.

It sounded strange to her, that after everything happiness was still possible.

* * *

Brooke stood in front of her house, on her walkway, in her yard. Yet, ever since she returned to Tree Hill she still had not been able to take the first step over the threshold—it was her home. It was her children's home.

But, a home implied happiness—and as she stood there she didn't feel happy. Instead, she felt a giant weight on her chest, she felt as though she couldn't breathe.

After what felt like hours she finally stepped back and ran to her car—driving away once more until she returned to Nathan and Haley's home where she found Lucas and Nathan loading the back of Lucas' SUV.

"How did you do"? Lucas asked as she got out of the car.

"I made it to the door this time," she told him shutting her door behind her.

"It's okay" Nathan assured her. "Stay here as long as you want, you will either get there or you won't".

"I can't stay here forever," Brooke said crossing her arms shaking her head.

"Don't worry about that" Nathan told her. "Julian died in your home, in front of you. It's not easy, and it's not going to be easy. But, we are all here for you".

"I thought about buying a new house" she admitted. "I love that home, we gave it good memories. The kind it deserved—but the one bad memory it has trumped it all".

"Of course it does," Lucas told her. "How on earth could it not? If it didn't—if it didn't affect you and the way you see your home you wouldn't be normal in my book".

"Which one"? They heard as Jamie walked out with a duffel bag passing them.

"All of them" Lucas responded.

It was clear Jamie didn't know about the seriousness of the conversation, and that he only picked up the end of Lucas' statement. But, he was able to get a small smile out of Brooke—who didn't quite understand why Nathan and Lucas looked as though they might roll over in laughter any moment just looking at the teenager.

Jamie tossed his bag into the back of his SUV and Lily's that was sitting alongside it before shutting the back.

"You heading out"? Nathan asked, biting his lip as he looked up at Jamie—with an attempt to keep himself composed.

"Yeah," Jamie said, rolling his eyes as his father acted like a schoolboy who just heard the word boobies.

"Be careful" Lucas told his nephew.

Jamie nodded in response to his uncle's words as he waited for Lily, who was naturally taking her time.

Silence fell over the four—although Brooke was confused as to why. But, she did take into account that Jamie's face was a bright shade of red while Nathan and Lucas were barely able to look up.

"Did you give your mom a kiss goodbye"? Nathan asked breaking the silence.

And that was that. Nathan and Lucas roared in laughter, as Jamie shook his head.

Brooke—Who was more confused than ever looked up at Lucas who was leaning against the car while Nathan leaned against his brother. They both, in an absolute fit of laughter.

"What in the hell am I missing"? Brooke asked.

"Nothing" Jamie answered immediately.

"Haley walked in on Jamie beating it this morning," Lily said as she walked out with a small bag hanging over her shoulder.

Brooke may not be a teenager anymore but she certainly knew what the "it" was. She looked at Jamie who was no longer red, but an awkward shade of pink.

In an attempt to keep herself from laughing Brooke covered her mouth.

"Let's go," Jamie told his cousin.

"Hey, Lily" Nathan said before they had the chance to walk away. "Make sure if you see a sock on the tent not to go in—Jamie might be using the other".

Lily laughed, Lucas laughed, Brooke laughed, Nathan laughed, and Jamie—he did not laugh. He found no humor in the situation.

"I don't use a sock," Jamie said, not that it was important.

"Really"? Brooke said. "I thought all guys used socks".

"He could be lying—you could just go ask Haley," Nathan said, as he laughed.

This was probably the only time in his life that Jamie would get away with flipping his father a particular finger. Which he did.

Either Nathan didn't care or he was laughing too hard to notice.

"We are leaving—and don't say another damn word," Jamie said pointing at his dad.

Jamie quickly got into his car with Lily and drove away—as fast as he could.

"You're so mean," Brooke said smacking Nathan on his shoulder.

"You're laughing too," Lucas told her.

"I'm going inside—you two are a bad influence".

And she did go inside.

But, they stayed outside—where they continued to laugh. And laugh. And laugh.

* * *

Jamie, gladly, drove his vehicle off of his parent's property—attempting to ignore Lily who was currently still laughing as she sat in the back seat. A short time later he was still driving and she was still laughing, except not alone. After Chuck, Madison, and Andre—his cousin, oh his damn cousin, informed the rest of the group of his morning activities.

So, now they were all laughing.

Jamie was not. In fact, it was the most unhumorous thing ever.

"You live in a million dollar home and it doesn't have doors that lock"? Andre asked, earning a glare from Jamie through the rearview mirror. Not that Andre cared.

"Look," Jamie said shaking his head. "If it had been dad, it probably would have been funny. But, mom? My mother—".

"Why were you doing it anyway"? Madison asked looking over at him from the passenger seat.

Jamie didn't need to look over at her, and he knew what she was really asking. She wanted to know why he was doing that when he would be getting something so much better in less than twelve hours, but it wasn't exactly a conversation for the whole carload of teenagers to hear.

"I'm a guy," Jamie said simply as he drove into a fast food restaurant. "It's what we do, that's not the embarrassing part. I have no shame in that, I have a very healthy sexual appetite" he told everyone but looked at Madison, who smiled and bit on her lip as she looked back at him.

Jamie drove around the drive-through and got each five their meal of choice, before pulling back out onto the road.

"We aren't even there yet," Madison said. "Are you really already drinking"?

Jamie looked through his rearview mirror to find Chuck pouring liquor into his soda.

"It gives it a better taste," Chuck said as he put the top back on the bottle, set it to the side, and pressed the lid back on to his soda before taking a long sip through his straw. "Mhmm," he said grinning. "It tastes more—more—".

"Like alcohol"? Jamie asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

Chuck snapped his fingers "that's it. That's the taste. It tastes more like a good strong liquor than the soft drink the four of you are enjoying. Anyone else wants some"? He asked holding the whiskey bottle up.

"I'm driving," Jamie said. "I will stick with soda," he told Chuck. "I believe everyone in the car will appreciate that".

"I do," Madison said. "And since he isn't drinking, I'm not going to drink".

"You wouldn't drink anyways," Chuck said shaking his head.

"I'm out until we get there," Andre said. "It's a three-mile hike and I'm not doing drunk".

"It's just vodka".

"Yes. And I stick with my previous statement".

"I'll drink with you," Lily said pulling open the tab of her cup. "But, just a little or one of you will be carrying me the three miles".

Chuck smiled and poured some of the contents into her cup, more than a little. He poured until Lily said "whoa" laughing. "I said a little".

"That is a little to him," Madison said. "You should've said a teaspoon and he probably would have poured the correct amount".

"Drinking with Chuck is a dangerous game," Andre told Lily shaking his head.

"So," Lily asked as she took a sip out of her straw, and unlike Chuck made a sour face but brushed it off quickly. "How did you all meet"?

"Well, Chuck used to bully me," Jamie said throwing his thumb over his shoulder at his friend in the seat behind him. "He has been a pain in the ass since day one".

"My A1 since day one," Chuck said wrapping an arm around Jamie from behind him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Eww," Jamie said wiping the wet moisture off of his cheek. "Keep your ass back there".

"Nathan and Lucas, your brother," Andre said chuckling—because he was fairly certain she knew her relationship with Lucas. "They coached my older brother and when he died that's when I met Jamie. He then introduced me to Chuck, worst mistake of my life".

"I went to school with them, they were known as the three musketeers," Madison told Lily as she looked back at her in the back seat. "One day Jamie came up and sat with me at lunch, then came Andre, and Chuck—I should have got up from the table when Chuck sat down".

"I'm feeling really attacked right, " Chuck said.

Lily laughed "so all of you have been friends forever basically"?

"Pretty much," Madison said nodding.

"That must be nice," Lily told her. "I never had that".

"That's right—you grew up on the road. What was that like"? Chuck asked turning to face her.

"It was fun," Lily said. "Except, it was lonely. Madison is the first actual friend I have ever had, I never had anyone to talk to—my own age. I think it was too hard for mom to be here, she loved my dad so much everything here reminded her of him".

"What about you"? Andre asked. "Do you like it here".

Lily looked around at the four she shared a vehicle with, her four friends. "I'm starting to," she told him smiling.

* * *

The wide open road, fresh air, relaxation—none of which Nathan and Lucas were enjoying as the two found themselves stuck in traffic, for three hours. The burning hot sun beat down, and even sitting inside the SUV with the air conditioner on high the two were miserable.

Although, Lucas seemed to be unbothered by it all—but he was bothering Nathan.

"What are you laughing at"? Nathan asked as he sat back in his seat.

"This cat," Lucas said chuckling as he pointed at his phone. "It's flushing the toilet".

"You're telling me that I'm being forced to drive—your vehicle, while you sleep and sit over there watching videos about cats"?

"I'll make you a deal Nate—if Dan comes back to life I'll drive".

Nathan rolled his eyes and shook his head "technically—if it is him, he never died—".

"It can't be him," Lucas said, cutting his little brother mid-sentence, frankly he didn't care what else Nathan had to say. "Because, if it is him that means—that he never had any visitors. And that means that this whole time he has been alive, missing his life. Growing old in a hospital bed, and that's not right or fair".

"The doctor seemed pretty convinced when I spoke to him, Luke".

"Doctors can be wrong".

"Is that what you want"? Nathan asked him. "Do you want the doctor to be wrong? Or—do you want it to be Keith"?

Lucas looked up from his phone, and at his brother "I don't even know if there is a right answer to that" Lucas told him. "I didn't tell Lily, and I haven't even told Peyton. Not until I know".

"That didn't answer my question".

"I don't know," Lucas said shrugging. "If it is him—that means he has never had a visitor. That means he has spent the last—what seventeen years as a John Doe. No name. No one. But, if it's not him—then he is still dead. I'm choosing to believe it's not him, for now. Because, if it is then I have to tell Lily her dad is alive, but he is in a coma—where he has been for seventeen years".

It didn't matter what Lucas wanted, or what his answer was—if he had one. It was a loose, loose situation for him.

* * *

"Are you sure this is what you want to do"? Haley asked as Brooke drove the car. "I mean buying and selling a house is a big decision, is it really one you want to make this rationally"?

"I didn't say I was selling mine and Julian's house," Brooke told Haley. "I just can't live there Haley, and short of living with you for the rest of my life, I'm out of options. I have two boys who need there own home, which I am so grateful for you letting us stay but I need my own home. My kids need their own home, I'm sure you understand that".

Haley did. She did understand that. But, she had trouble supporting her friend's decision, Haley was never one to jump the gun on anything in her life.

But, she had never lost her husband either.

"I'm just meeting with a realtor, it's not a firm decision," Brooke told her, making Haley feel slightly better. "But, I have to stop by Tric first".

"Tric"?

"Well, actually I have to stop red bedroom to show Peyton these designs—she just signed this band and they are doing a photo shoot in a couple of weeks so she asked me if I would be interested".

"Oh".

"You did it again".

Haley looked at Brooke, honestly oblivious to what her friend was referring to "I did what"? She asked, confused.

"Even the mention of Peyton—your nose flares up, your face goes red, you can't even put a sentence together—you hate her".

"What are you talking about"?

"I don't think what she did is right either, but she is still our friend Haley," Brooke said. "The three of us have been friends forever".

"I never said I hated her," Haley told Brooke crossing her arms.

"You never said you didn't".

Haley paused, she looked as though she might respond but truth be told she didn't quite know what to say. She honestly had nothing to say.

The truth was she didn't hate Peyton, she didn't know how felt about her. She knew that she was mad, furious at her.

Haley also knew she had every right to feel the way she felt about her, she also knew it wasn't going to change any time soon.

"Since you don't hate her," Brooke said parking the car outside of Tric. "Would you like to come in with me? To visit your good friend, Peyton? Well, you'll have to—it's ninety-nine degrees and I'm taking the keys".

"You're ridiculous," Haley said shaking her head but found herself getting out of the vehicle and walking inside with Peyton.

The two walked through the door to that Tric, didn't exactly look like Tric.

Well, it did—except for the plywood laying around, the tools, the drop cloths spread around the floor—the new flooring, the paint—so it didn't look like Tric.

"What all is Chase changing"? Brooke asked as they walked through. "I liked Chase the way it was".

"I did, too. He isn't really changing a lot but after so many years you have to replace flooring and stuff like that. He got a new bar, but other than that it's just updating" Haley told her. "I think he even got the same coloring it was".

"Good. I hate change".

"Says the girl who is about to go meet a real estate agent and drop at least a quarter of a million dollars".

Brooke rolled her eyes as they walked through the door leading to Peyton's office, to find Peyton sitting behind her desk—with her head down sleeping.

"Oh" Haley whispered. "She is sleeping, we should go".

"Not so fast tutor girl".

Out of all the nicknames Haley James Scott has been given, and that one has been around longer than her son.

Brooke walked up behind Peyton, slowly bent over, and whispered: "when was the last time you wore clean underwear"?

"Around the same time as the last time, you had sex".

Peyton sat up smiling, that was until she saw Haley standing in the corner. Then she stopped and awkwardly ran her fingers through her unruly hair.

"I came to see what you thought of these" Brooke said handing her large IPad to Peyton.

"It's not loading," Peyton said after a minute. "There isn't any service in here".

"Just connect to the wifi," Haley said, in the nicest tone she could force out of her throat.

"They were working on the wiring earlier so the electric shut off, the internet has to be turned back on from the outside. I'll go flip the switch".

Brooke and Haley followed Peyton but came to a brute halt behind her as she tried to open the door.

Peyton jiggled the doorknob. Again. Again. Again.

"Oh, no," Peyton said dropping her head. "The door is locked, from the outside. Matt told me about it earlier".

"Matt"? Haley asked.

"Yeah," she said nodding as she pulled her cell phone out. "He is the main contractor, he tries to keep me updated with what's going on just so I—I have no service".

"We Just established that you don't get service in here," Haley said, irritated.

"Don't get snippy with me, the door was propped open, didn't you two think it was like that for a reason"?

"Oh, so this is our fault"? Haley snapped back at her. "You always have to blame those around you for everything".

"My marriage is none of your business, so stay out of it".

"What marriage"? Haley asked rolling her eyes. "You don't even live together, your marriage ended when you slept with someone else".

"Would you two stop for a minute"? Brooke yelled, in an attempt to deal with one problem at a time. "What about the phone? There has to be a phone here right"?

Peyton rushed back to her office where she picked up the cordless that lay on her desk but laid it down moments later. "The phone is disconnected, the internet and phone both have to be started back up from the internet box on the side of the building. It's Friday, so the contract crew always quit around two—it's three sixteen so they won't be back. But, it's okay. Nathan and Lucas will go home and when you don't come home they will come looking for you two".

"Yeah, about that" Brooke said slowly.

"They won't be home until Sunday, they are on a trip," Haley said, choosing her words as carefully as possible.

"A trip"?

"A boys get away," Haley said. "And Jamie is camping with his friends".

"He didn't even tell me he was leaving," Peyton said shaking her head. "We used to consult with each other about everything".

"Well, you didn't tell him before you had sex with another man so—I guess consulting went out the window when you're vagina swung open like a door".

"Haley," Brooke said.

"You think just because you have the perfect husband and the perfect life and the perfect marriage and the perfect kids that you can judge everyone else" Peyton snapped as she walked towards Haley.

"I never claimed to have anything perfect, I have loyal—that's the difference between me and you".

Haley turned on her heel and stormed out of the office—in search of a way out of Tric.

Peyton stormed to her desk, in search to find a way to communicate with someone—anyone to get out of Tric.

Brooke? Oh, she went to find the liquor, in search of intoxication, at the risk that neither of her friends was successful.

* * *

"Scary or romantic comedy"? Lucas asked as he tossed a cashew in the air and caught it in his mouth perfectly.

"Seriously"? Nathan asked

Both of the brothers sat in their seat, the same place they had been planted for six hours, with their feet propped up outside the window with their seats laid back.

"I'm taking a quiz," Lucas told his brother holding his phone up.

Nathan rolled his eyes and took the phone out of his hand "you have to be kidding me"! He said, laughing. "This is like those quiz's in the back of those stupid magazines Haley gets every month—Wait it is".

"Shut up," Lucas said. "I'm bored".

"What your favorite summer cocktail says about your sex life" Nathan read the top of the quiz. "I know there is sex on the beach but is there a drink called dry as a beach"?

Nathan laughed. Lucas rolled his eyes as he took the phone out of brothers hand, but chuckled.

The two were silent, but only for a minute.

"If it is Keith—does that mean Dan wasn't a murder"? Nathan asked.

It was a genuine question, one Lucas thought of himself but didn't have the courage to speak it out loud.

"As far as I'm concerned—if this is Keith or not, this changes nothing about Dan," Lucas said. "He still picked up a gun and aimed it at his big brother. His brother, Nate—that would be like you trying to kill me".

"I know," Nathan said nodding.

"I understand that ever since he saved you, you have had a soft spot for him. I am glad he did it, don't get me wrong. But, either way, this turns out—he still robbed Keith of his life. A chance to be a father, Lily is an orphan. My family is all she has".

Nathan paused, for a second he reconsidered the thought that came across his mind. But, he knew he couldn't just leave it there, this was his brother.

"What family"? Nathan asked. "You and your wife don't even live together, you constantly fight and scream at each other— she is sixteen, Luke. She has two years left of being a kid, you and Peyton are robbing her of that. You're taking her childhood away before it's time".

"Okay, Haley," Lucas said, knowing good and well who it was that originally spoke those words.

"Alright, yes I'm just repeating what Haley said" Nathan admitted to which Lucas scoffed, but not that he needed to. Lucas knew Haley as well Nathan, if not better some days. "But, she isn't wrong. Sawyer slept in the bed with us a couple of nights ago after Peyton dropped her off, it's not just about Lily. Your daughter is being affected by it too. I do try to stay out of it, you're my brother that's your marriage except this is my niece and cousin, they are both caught in the middle of this war".

Lucas didn't speak, Nathan assumed he struck a nerve and that he more than likely wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the day.

But, Nathan was wrong.

Lucas listened to every word, and at first, it was funny because his brother was simply repeating the exact words Haley had spoken just days before. But, once Nathan started talking on his own, it broke Lucas. The thought of his daughter unable to sleep and instead of going to her dad's bed, she was so scared of her parents fighting she went to her Aunt and Uncle.

"What—what do I do"? Lucas asked.

"You and Peyton need to either get help and fix it or go your separate ways. Either is better than the route you're currently taking" Nathan said. "Haley and I seen a therapist years ago, it really helped us, Luke. It might help you two. Do you want to work things out"?

"I don't know" he answered honestly.

"They will help you with that, too—to figure it out but you do need to figure things out. This isn't healthy. I grew up with parents that would fight all the time, remember"?

"Oh, my god" Lucas said in utter horror. "We are Dan and Deb".

* * *

Brooke poured the burning contents deep inside the bottle down her throat as she watched one friend walk around with her cell phone high in the air, and the other attempt to stack chairs to reach the window.

"You know what this reminds me of"? Brooke asked, too drunk to even notice if she gained the attention of her two friends. "Remember when we got locked in the library"?

"Yes," Haley said aggravated as she tried to level the chairs. "And if I recall correctly that night was a total blood bath, too—because once again Peyton didn't get what she wanted".

"Oh, my god" Peyton nearly yelled. "You have no self-control do you"?

"Coming from you? That's rich".

"I made one mistake, one. I'm paying for it—aren't I? I'm sleeping on a small couch every single night to wake up to the sound of the rest of the building being torn apart" Peyton yelled at Haley.

"Speaking of why is there no ladders"? Brooke asked looking around pointing with the finger holding the bottle of tequila.

"Matt loads them up on the weekends, they take all the expensive things when they leave—I guess they had a robbery a few years ago and he says it ends up costing more money to replace everything".

"You seem to know an awful lot about this Matt guy," Haley said crossing her arms.

"Are you serious right now"? Peyton asked turning to face Haley. "I see him every day—right now he seems to be the only friend I have. That's what you were to me at one point Haley, remember? A friend? Just because you don't support my decisions doesn't mean you just cast the person you have known for nearly twenty years to the side".

"And I have been friends with Lucas my entire life, sorry by Luke trumps you. You hurt him. Destroyed him. It wasn't just him, you had a family Peyton. The one thing you never had, why would you do that"?

"I remember" Brooke interrupted, attempting to intervene as she stumbled through Tric. "When Peyton slept with my boyfriend and Nathan lost his virginity to Haley's sister before he did Speed. I remember when Peyton did Cocaine. I also remember Haley running off with Chris to go on tour, choosing music over Nathan. I remember—".

"Okay," Peyton said. "I think that's enough".

"Is it"? Brooke asked. "We have all made mistakes and I was just getting started, that was only our high school era—it looks like we are going to be in here for a while and you two are ruining my buzz so figure out a way to be around each other or I'm locking you in the freezer".

* * *

"Alright," Nathan said as he walked through the open walkway of the motel next to his brother. "We are just thirty minutes outside of Charlotte, we wake up around six and we can be at the facility by eight".

Lucas nodded in agreement, through a yawn.

"306, this is us," Nathan said pointing to a door, before slipping the card through the portal and pushing the door open.

The two stood in the doorway of the motel, Lucas flipped the light on to find themselves standing in a room with one king sized bed, a lamp without a shade, and a mini-fridge that was chained to the wall.

"If you brought me here to do anything other than sleep—I hate to be a disappointment," Lucas said.

"Oh, shut up," Nathan told him as he shut the door behind them.

"I'm serious—I feel anything poking me through the night and your ass is going to sleep in the car".

"I paid for this room".

"Yeah, and you would think that someone who played basketball in the NBA could spring for something that's at least a two-star motel," Lucas said as he tossed his bag on to the bag. "This is where serial killers wash up after a big crime".

"We sat in traffic, literally all day," Nathan told him. "We missed the check in time and I'm tired. Would you like to drive us at nine o clock at night then still get up bright and early in the morning"?

"Not really," Lucas said throwing himself on to the bed "I'm beat".

"Then stop your bitching".

"Man," Lucas said as he looked up at the ceiling "we sound old as hell".

Nathan paused, then chuckled. His brother was right. Nine o'clock at night used to be the start of their night now it felt like hours past the end, it was pathetic really.

"I know Haley didn't say it—but thanks for talking to Jamie," Nathan said.

"Haley is just mad that I won't tell her what we talked about, and if that's what is about to happen here like I told her—".

"No, it's not" Nathan cut his brother off holding his hand up. "I figure if it's important enough you'll tell me—if he is on drugs or something you'll come to me but until then that says between you two. I am actually relieved that he talks to someone over the age of eighteen".

Lucas sat up and watched his brother as he dug through his bag—he assumed he was finding something to sleep in.

"Haley—is having trouble letting go of this illusion that Jamie is going to be a kid forever," Nathan said shaking his head. "I know he is going to drink, experiment with this and that—we all did. I only want to know if he is doing something that could affect his health or the rest of his life. I mean I want him to talk to me, of course. I don't want him drinking every weekend, but I do want him to experience life. He has to learn his limits himself, I just set the boundaries and pray he listens".

"You know how Haley walked in on Jamie this morning"? Lucas asked as he kicked his shoes off.

"Don't?" Nathan said, chuckling. "I can't laugh about that any more than I already have".

"Right," Lucas said, with a small laugh. "I sort of told him to do it".

Confused. Conflicted. Neither of the words seemed strong enough to describe Nathan's emotions as he turned to his brother. "As I ask you why I'm desperately praying that if this goes to trial I am not called up to testify"?

Lucas rolled his eyes "you're disgusting" he said pointing his finger at his brother.

"I'm not the one telling sixteen-year-old boys to masturbate".

"It's nothing he wasn't already doing," Lucas said. "But, there was a reason I told him to do it—I didn't just tell him to—I wasn't advising that for no reason".

"Then—dare I ask again why"?

"Jamie and Madison—they have played basketball together for years right"? Lucas asked, to which Nathan nodded. "Okay, I'm sure he has made some good shots— maybe a couple of three-pointers, a layup, and he probably even got a few free throws in".

"What in the Sam hell are you talking about"?

"But, this weekend—he is going to make his first slam dunk," Lucas said, ignoring his brother's comment.

Lucas looked up at his little brother whose face remained confused, for a brief second. He watched as the metaphors struck a familiar nerve with Nathan. "Oh," he said. "Oh. Oh. Oh" he repeated, each one louder than the first as it officially registered in his mind just what Lucas was referring to, and it was not basketball. "Wait. They are going to—have sex"?

Lucas was shocked, Nathan was virtually calm, at first he seemed to be alarmed by the news but Lucas assumed that was just the confusion he had caused.

"Yeah," Lucas said nodding. "But, he came to me—with a problem, one of the sexual category".

"And that was"?

"Well—it's his first time, and it's not like it's a random hook up. This is his longtime girlfriend and—he was freaking out that maybe he would enjoy it too much".

"Oh," Nathan said lowering his head with a small chuckle. "So, he was worried that he was going make his shot before it was time"?

Lucas nodded, chuckling as well. "You Okay—about this".

It wasn't a question.

Lucas was awkwardly surprised by how well his brother was handling the information he was being handed.

"Of course I am," Nathan said. "I meant what I said earlier—it's just that, I wish he had come to me about it. I know he is a teenager, and he isn't a little kid anymore but he can trust me. I just want to be a part of his life, he is already hinting that he doesn't want me to coach for the team anymore, I just want to be a part of his life".

"You're his dad, you'll always be a part of his life".

* * *

"Hurry, hurry," Madison told Jamie. "You're going to drop it in the fire," she said laughing.

Despite the large amount of heat rolling off of the marshmallow he had at the end of the stick, he tore it off and laid it down between a graham cracker, and a large piece of chocolate. The teen then grabbed another piece of graham cracker and smacked it on top.

Madison smiled, before taking a small bite out of the smore her boyfriend over roasted six different marshmallows in the fire for, and fought Chuck over the last piece of chocolate for. It wasn't cold, they definitely didn't need a fire but the five teenagers sat around it smiling and laughing, the main one being Madison.

"So, you all do this every year"? Lily asked.

"Yeah," Andre said. "Last year was the first time we were allowed to come by ourselves".

"I feel like I'm on an episode of naked and afraid," Lily said, chuckling.

"Now," Chuck said standing up. "That sounds like an idea, there is a lake right over that bank. Whose in"?

"Me," Lily said standing up.

"I'll go," Andre said. "I could use a cool off".

The three disappeared into the dark of the night, leaving Madison and Jamie alone as they sat by the fire.

"Do you want to go"? Jamie asked, as he continued to rub Madison's lower back, though he avoided eye contact with her.

"No" she whispered.

Jamie, who had been avoiding eye contact with his girlfriend at the chance she said she wanted to go swimming—he didn't want her to see his disappointment. But, when she said no he looked down at the woman sitting next to him, biting on her lip.

"Are you sure"? He asked.

"Yes".

"I'm not talking about swimming".

"I'm not either".

Madison stood up and reached for his hand, he gladly accepted and the two found their way to their tent in the secluded area. Away from the fire. Away from everyone else's tent.

Away.

Jamie could only see his girlfriend from the lantern he had hanging on one of the trees as he interlaced their fingers in both hands. It was strange, after all these years of her not wanting to have sex and him dying to, she didn't look nervous but he felt as though he might pass out.

"Are you going to kiss me"? Madison asked with a smile. "Or are you going to keep staring at me"?

He smiled, releasing one of her hands to bring his arm up—cupping the side of her face in his palm. Then he kissed her, gently. It was the first time in a long time that he kissed her so softly.

Madison let go of the one of Jamie's hand that still had a hold of hers before running her fingers slowly up his chest beneath his shirt, before tugging the shirt up over his head.

Their lips found each other's once more before Jamie let his fingers find the bottom of the dress she had wore that day and pulled it over top of her head—tossing it as far from her body as possible.

"Is this why you ask me what my favorite color was"? Jamie asked as he pulled her into his body, looking down at Madison.

"Maybe".

Jamie spun them around and pinned his girlfriend against a tree, lifting a leg over one of his hips.

He wasn't gentle this time. He kissed her, and he kissed her as his hands roamed around her body.

Neither knew when or how, but they found themselves inside their tent, alone. They continued to kiss as they were both balanced on their knees.

Jamie felt her hands on his waist as she began fidgeting with his belt buckle, for a split second he wanted to back out. Reconsider. But, when he felt her fingers undo the button to his jeans he quickly brushed that idea off, wondering why it crossed his mind in the first place. But, as he removed his pants he quit wondering why he thought of anything else, at all.

In a perfect world, this would be it. They would have laid down and had sex for the first time just as they planned but they don't live in a perfect world.

Just as Jamie lowered Madison down to the sleeping bag and found his lips just inches above her navel, the farthest they had ever been the two heard "Jamie".

"Is that Andre"? Madison asked.

"Ignore him," Jamie said trailing kisses back up her body.

And she did. Their lips found one another's again, their bodies rolled against each other's, and Jamie held both of his girlfriend's arms above her head as they kissed.

"Jamie".

They continued to ignore.

"Jamie".

But, each time he called.

"Jamie".

He got louder.

"Jamie".

Indicating he was closer.

"Jamie".

Each time.

"Jamie".

"I swear I'm going to kill him," Jamie said sitting up. "What"? He called back. "I'm busy".

"I'm busy"? Madison whispered, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I am" he whispered back.

"We have lost Chuck" Andre called back. "He has had a lot to drink, I can't find him anywhere".

Jamie moaned, and not the type he would prefer it be. He looked down at Madison who lay the perfect. She had one leg propped up, the one that was around his waist only seconds ago. She wore matching red lacy panties and a bra.

"I swear I hate Chuck" Jamie grumbled as he searched for his pants.

Madison sat up and wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck "it's fine" she told him.

The two quickly dressed and grabbed a flashlight, in an attempt to help locate there friend.

"I don't know what's going on with him," Andre told them. "But, something is going on".

"I thought you said he was always like this" Lily said.

"He is," Jamie said. "But, there has been something odd about him today—I was going talk to him tomorrow once he sobered up".

"He drinks," Madison said. "But, not this much".

The four searched high and low, and just as worry started to set in Jamie spotted his friend laying in a large open field.

"What is he doing"? Andre asked, and yelled "Chuck"?

The sound of Andre's voice echoed, followed by a loud thudding, that came closer and closer.

"What the hell is that"? Lily asked.

Jamie shinned his flashlight up and saw a large herd of wild horses running through the field, right at Chuck.

"Stay here," Jamie told his girlfriend and cousin.

Andre and Jamie darted towards their friend in an attempt to get to him before the twenty some horses did, which they did.

"Chuck wake up," Jamie said slapping the sides of his face.

"Wha—".

Chuck looked up and despite his current situation rose up and ran with his friends. The three basketball players ran, as fast as they could but even with the flashlights, the dark won when Jamie tripped over a rock embedded into the ground.

"Jamie" Madison screamed.

Perhaps it was fate, or luck, or whatever Jamie chose to believe in for the second but the horses all broke up and split leaving him laying in the middle.

All except one, the last one to come running through got spooked at the sight of Jamie laying sprawled out on the ground. The horse came up on its back to legs and when it came down landed on Jamie with a loud _POP_.

Jamie was sure he screamed, though he couldn't be certain. Just as he couldn't be certain when the horses disappeared but he did see his friends running towards him, most importantly his girlfriend.

"Are you okay"?

"Are you hurt"?

"What happened"?

Just a few of the many questions he heard, though he wasn't entirely certain who asked what.

"Jamie" Madison said trying to help her boyfriend sit up, unfortunately, he was unable to. "Are you okay"?

"Kill—Chuck" was all Jamie was able to muster out of his mouth.

Chuck, while concerned about his friend, found it appropriate to still take a step back.

"Where are you hurt"? Andre asked bending over.

Jamie—did not want to answer that question, it didn't matter how bad it hurt. He did not want to answer that question.

"Oh, my god" Andre said wincing as he saw Jamie's hands clutching the area below his waist.

"I think it broke my dick".

* * *

Lucas walked side by side with Nathan as they found their way through the building, which was relatively quiet. Not that, that part wasn't exactly shocking. The two made their way to the front desk, and for the first time in his life, Lucas felt like the younger brother. He felt like the kid that needed to be protected by his older brother because instead, he took a step back allowing Nathan to interact with the woman behind the desk.

"Welcome," she said with a smile and a light voice. "To Live, and love long term care—how can I help you, fellas"?

The accent alone indicated she was from further south than North Carolina, but the 'fellas' tipped the scale.

"We have an appointment with Doctor Eagleston," Nathan told her.

"I have been waiting" they heard and turned to see a blonde standing in the hallway with a chart in her hand. "Come with me".

The two did, the followed her through the dimly lit hallway.

"So—you went to school with Keith"? Nathan asked awkwardly as they followed her.

"And Dan," she said. "I had a crush on your dad actually back in school".

"God, he didn't get you pregnant, too"? Lucas asked.

"No," she said with a small smile. "I was in Keith's year—I don't exactly go for younger men. Never did. And as it turns out I dodged a bullet with that—oh, God. That was a bad choice of words".

It was. There was no denying that, but the brothers shook it off.

"I just started here about a month ago," she said, quickly changing the topic. "It takes a while to get around to every patient but when I went into this room, a John Doe—he just looked so familiar. I started hunting Lucas down immediately".

Nathan and Lucas watched as she turned the knob and then held the door open for them.

Lucas took a long, deep, and shaky breath before walking into the room behind Nathan. It was when he was in the room that all his hopes and dreams came crashing down, he couldn't breathe.

Lucas turned on his heel and darted out of the room.

"Is it not him"? She asked Nathan. "I was so sure—".

"No" he cut her off. "That's him. That's Keith".

And it was Keith, but the question remained how?

* * *

_Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days  
The people I meet always go their separate ways  
Sometimes you tell the day  
By the bottle that you drink  
And times when you're all alone all you do is think_

_I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride  
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive  
Wanted (wanted) dead or alive_

* * *

_**A/N this is only part one of this chapter, it would have been more along the lines of 20,000 words if I had put everything into one chapter.**_

_** But, I did leave you with a nice little cliffhanger, over the next couple chapters more about Keith will be revealed as to what happened and etc. Once you find out who the mastermind behind all this was you might be a little shocked.**_

_**As for Nathan and Lucas, I really enjoyed writing their moments together. Once they started acting brotherly in the show, their scenes together were Always my favorite. **_

**_ I personally felt really bad for Jamie I'm this particular chapter, he is not having anything easy right now. I knew what I wanted to happen to him but coming up with how it happened to him was tricky, I I did remember the first time I seen a herd of wild horses running when I went camping and that's how I came up with that scenario. More will be explained in part. _**

**_Haley is under no circumstances letting Peyton off easy, and this is only the start! But, As for the Brooke, Lucas, Peyton love triangle like I said before and I just feel like mentioning that every chapter so that no one gets the wrong impression I'm slowly dissolving the peyton and Lucas marriage while Brooke and Lucas is going to happen but will be a very slow burn_**

**_As always thank you for the reviews, they mean so much and help me write and get my chapters out so much faster. _**


	6. Wanted Dead or Alive (Part 2)

**_Disclaimer: all rights to OTH/Songs/ or mentions to any other shows, movies, songs, and or etc. go to their rightful owners. I only take credit for the storylines._**

**_Triggers: don't continue this chapter if you have any triggers that have been previously mentioned in any other chapters. Masturbation, sex, drinking, and etc._**

* * *

_I walk these streets  
A loaded six-string on my back  
I play for keeps 'cause I might not make it back  
I been everywhere, still, I'm standing tall  
I've seen a million faces_

_And I've rocked them all_

* * *

"Bad news," Doctor Coleson said as he stepped into the room where Jamie laid out on a bed with his girlfriend in the chair next to him. "You do in fact have a penile fracture".

"This is a nightmare," Jamie said as his head crashes back into the pillow looking up at the ceiling, plotting his friend's death.

"Unfortunately, this nightmare won't just go away on its own" Doctor Coleson told him. "We need to get you into surgery as soon as we can to prevent permeant damage".

"Permeant damage"? Jamie yelled, shooting up in the bed like a jack-in-the-box, forgetting briefly just how sore he was from the waist down but was quickly reminded. "Ouch. Damn it" he said as Madison aided him laying back down.

"Should he be in this much pain"? Madison asked the doctor.

"We have given him something for the pain but it's not just his penis—".

"Oh, my god" Jamie said covering his face at the risk he was turning red from the humiliation.

"It's the area around it as well" the Doctor finished saying, ignoring Jamie's dramatic comment. "He is actually very lucky that he didn't fracture his hip bone or even shatter it completely. You're quite lucky".

"You call this luck"? Jamie snapped pulling his hands away from his face. "Instead of losing my virginity—like we were doing I get trampled on by a freaking horse and it breaks my—".

"Penis"?

"Not the word I was going to use," Jamie said crossing his arm.

"A nurse will be in here shortly to prep you for surgery, I'll see you down there".

The doctor walked out of the room and the two were quiet for a few passing seconds. Mostly due to Jamie's child-like pouting. Not that Madison blamed him.

"So, much for our weekend," Jamie said. "I swear when I get my hands on Chuck he is going to be eating out of a feeding tube for weeks".

Madison sat down on the edge of her boyfriend's bed, looking down at him she said: "don't worry about Chuck".

"I swear this is unbelievable".

Madison leaned down and kissed Jamie on the lips, in the hope to take his mind off of his current predicament. It worked, for a brief second. He ran his hand up to the side of her face, cupping her cheek as he kissed her.

"I'll be right here when you get out" Madison promised him.

"You mean when I do my walk of shame"?

"Stop it," Madison told him. "I'm not laughing at you, no one has".

"I know—it's just so embarrassing. I'm still a Virgin and I have a broken penis. How is this possible"?

"Because, a horse jumped on you—now stop".

Jamie looked over at the door, making sure no one was standing there before turning back to Madison and he said "you looked so damn sexy. That's why I'm so upset, you would be too if your girlfriend was as hot as mine".

Madison laughed "I don't know my boyfriend is pretty damn fine".

Jamie smiled before pulling Madison back down to kiss her once again. "I love you".

"I love you, too".

"Aww teenaged love" the two heard as before looking over to see two nurses standing in the doorway. "Hope you don't mind, I'm going to have to take him down".

Madison smiled before kissing him again and standing up.

"I'm officially in hell," Jamie said as he laid back.

* * *

Brooke slowly opened her eyes, and for a split second, she forgot where she was or why she was here. Then it all came rushing back to her as she saw Haley asleep stretched out on the couch in the corner and Peyton asleep inside one of the many booths that were about to be installed. Brooke, however, found herself asleep on top of the bar, clutching a tequila bottle—just like her kids did with their stuffed animal.

"Oh," she said dropping the bottle, hearing it hit the floor with a loud crash, but didn't hear it break.

Out of habit she went to stretch, reaching her hands above her head and rolled onto her back but forgetting that she had been sleeping on limited space, and found herself falling—and like the bottle, she landed with a loud crash.

"Oh, my god".

"Brooke, are you okay"?

The second time when Brooke opened her eyes she saw Haley and Peyton both hovering over her. She assumed the loud thud her body made when it hit the floor woke the two.

"I really hope you two angle your selfies from up top," Brooke said, her voice slightly hoarse.

Haley and Peyton each couldn't help but smile as they helped their friend to her feet, but found that she was still a little unsteady. Brooke found her way to a seat, with the aid of her two friends, and sat down as she rubbed her head.

"Let me find you some Tylenol" Peyton said as she went to walk away.

"How are you feeling"? Haley asked Brooke.

"Where are my pants"? Brooke asked, slowly. "Why am I not wearing any pants? Why are they called pants"?

Haley chuckled, "they are over there—you turned the old jukebox on last night and gave us quite the show".

"And to answer your last question" Peyton said walking over with a water bottle and a small pull. "They originally were called Pantaloon—trust me that's all you want to know".

Brooke took the pill, tossed it in her mouth, and washed it down with a large gulp of water.

"I'm starving," Haley said. "There has to be food around here somewhere".

"It's a bar," Brooke said. "The food is in the bottles".

Haley laughed at Brooke, who still sat in a daze—clutching her water bottle.

"I'll help you look for food," Peyton told Haley.

The two walked away as Haley said: "a bar serves peanuts—so where would Chase keep the peanuts"?

Peyton and Haley wondered through a door to find themselves standing in a large freezer.

"Jackpot" Haley squealed.

"Do you see nuts"? Peyton asked rubbing her stomach.

"Better" Haley said jerking a large tub out. "Ice cream".

"I'll find some spoons".

* * *

Nathan searched and searched for his brother, high and low—he looked from one end of the facility to the other. If he didn't have the keys he would have been certain that Lucas had left, but wherever he was—his brother had found the best damn hiding spot in North Carolina.

He had almost given up hope, it wasn't until he heard a loud shake that there was a light at the end of this particular dark tunnel. Nathan followed the noise to find Lucas shaking a snack machine, followed by a swift kick.

"I know this is hard—but that vending machine didn't do anything to you," Nathan said, gaining his brother's attention.

"It took my money," Lucas said.

Nathan glanced at the machine before reaching into his pocket, pulling a dime out, and sliding it into the machine. "You were ten cents short," he said as he watched Lucas' candy bar drop down.

"Oh," Lucas said. "Thanks".

Nathan watched as Lucas tore into his candy bar and devour it with two large bites.

"Do you want to talk about it"?

"No," Lucas said as he plopped down on the chair. "I mean—what's there to talk about? Keith is alive, sort of. He has been in a coma for seventeen years. What is there to talk about, Nate? My mom—being with Keith was all she wanted. He was alive this entire time, he has missed Lily's whole life. How did this happen"?

"That's what Doctor Eagleston wanted to speak with us about," Nathan said. "That among other things".

"What other things"?

"She didn't say," Nathan told him. "I told her I would come to find you".

Lucas rubbed his hand over his face as if that was going to melt his problems away—but he knew that it wouldn't. Instead of sulking, like he would like to do he stood up and followed his brother.

The two made their way to an office before stepping inside.

"I know this is a lot to digest," Doctor Eagleston said, greeting the two. "Please sit down and we will get started".

"How did this happen"? Lucas asked, almost immediately.

"We will get to that—but we have a more important item first," she said.

"Okay," Nathan and Lucas both said, nervously.

"Keith's condition, it's not a permanent one," she told them. "It can be fixed with surgery—and he could wake up and live out the rest of his life as a normal healthy middle-aged man. He is only in his early fifties".

"Then why has no one done this surgery"?

"Because he has been a John Doe" she explained. "We do life-threatening surgeries—such as if had a heart attack or something along the lines of that, or if someone is sixteen and over they can speak for themselves if an adult is not present but he hasn't been able to sign for this surgery. I just looked up his information, he left his power of attorney if something were to happen as Dan, your father".

"That could have been a grave mistake," Nathan said.

"Well, with the passing of Dan, that leaves you two as the next in line as his only two living children".

"That we know of".

"So, it's actually up to you two if you would like to move forward with the surgery".

Nathan and Lucas looked at one another, both worried.

"Can you go into further detail before we make a decision"? Nathan asked.

"Of course".

* * *

Haley laid the large blanket over Brooke, before walking over to the booth Peyton say in—eating peanuts and sat across from her.

Haley said, "she just needs some rest, I haven't seen her like that since her bachelorette party".

"I missed that," Peyton told her. "From the sounds of it, it was fun".

"I couldn't be sure myself, I cut off halfway. I was pregnant with Lydia"

"Oh, that's right".

The two sat quietly, awkwardly—eating, sharing glances every once in a while.

"I once asked Lucas when all his dreams came true who did he want standing next to him—he answered, without hesitation—Brooke," Peyton said before taking a sip out of the beer in front of her. "A few months later I told him how I felt about him, he answered 'oh," she said chuckling lightly as she vaguely recalled the memory. "Not long after that—he changed his answer to me. He wanted me standing next to him when all his dreams came true, it took him weeks to make that decision, and even then I didn't believe him. I wanted to believe him, I wanted him to want me—but all along I knew it was Brooke that he wanted".

"Peyton" Haley said reaching across the table taking her hand. "That was in high school, Lucas loves you".

"I know he does, I'm not denying that but—Brooke has always been the one he wanted to be with me. Not me" she told Haley. "We didn't have sex for five months after Brooke arrived to go with ya, I assumed it was just a dry spell. I thought every couple goes through it, once or twice. But, one night Brooke took all the kids and let us have a night to ourselves".

"That was nice of her," Haley said, shrugging.

"It was—it was the first time in months we had sex, and at the end—he called me Brooke. I don't even think he realized that he did it, and I didn't ask. I thought maybe he had too much to drink, but the next morning when I come downstairs in the cabin we were renting he was chasing Brooke and the kids. I felt like the odd man out" Peyton told her. "They were always together, drinking buddies—staying up watching tv and I always felt on the outside".

"He would never cheat on you".

"Oh, I know that" Peyton assured her. "But, he will never love me the way he loves her, even after all these years she is still the one. It's no excuse for what I did, it never will be but maybe now you'll understand why I did it".

"Have you talked to him about Brooke—since"? Haley asked.

"Yeah," Peyton told her nodding. "He can never give me a yes or no answer, and after I cheated on him now he always brings that up so I quit asking".

Ever since Haley heard about what Peyton did she didn't sympathize with her, she went straight from love to hate, but Haley felt sorry for her. As she thought back on it, she could see just what Peyton saw. It wasn't hard to miss, the way Lucas looked at Brooke—and maybe it was all innocent but anyone on the outside wouldn't perceive it that way.

Peyton didn't.

Now, neither did Haley.

* * *

Lily stepped out of her tent standing up straight, stretching the aches from sleeping on the ground off of her body. The fire had gone out at some point over the night, but Chuck sat on one of the logs—alone.

Lily assumed Andre was still asleep in one the tents she saw or walking. She knew he couldn't have gone too far, Madison and Jamie took the only vehicle.

"Good morning," Lily said, as she slowly approached Chuck, and sat down next to him.

"Don't know much good about it—but right back at you?" he said as he tossed a rock into the pile of ash in front of him.

"Is this about last night"?

"I guess," he said shrugging.

Lily looked at the boy next to her, he was tall and thin, his blonde hair hovered just above his eyes—something that would have been annoying to her but he didn't seem to mind. It was the first time he wasn't wearing a big goofy smile like he always was anytime she had been around him.

"It's a bone," Lily said laying her hand on his back. "He will be fine. Jamie is the overdramatic type anyways, he will be alright".

"It's more than that," he told her, honestly. "I mean I feel bad about that, but Jamie and I we fight—and then we make up. It's sad to say but we are like an old married couple" Chuck said. "I got into it with my mom yesterday".

"Oh," Lily said. "Everyone else did mention that you were acting a bit—off".

"Yeah," he said, sniffling—though he had been crying but Lily couldn't get a good enough look at his face to confirm whether he had or not. "Have you ever heard of the big brother program"?

"Yeah," Lily said, though once she said it, she wasn't entirely sure. "I think".

"They give kids a mentor—my mom at the time was an alcoholic and my dad—well he wasn't in the picture. That has yet to change. I got my first mentor—my only one. Chase, he owns Tric" Chuck told her. "For years and years, he was the only parent I had. When my dad was around he beat on me and when he wasn't my mom damn near drank herself into a coma. Chase, he was all I had, one day he came over to my house and I heard him and mom get into it. They were arguing so loudly I was sure the neighbors were going to file a complaint charge".

"What over"?

"After my dad left my mom began drinking, more than she ever had. He gave her two options—he said either he could take me and she could go to rehab or he was calling child services, he told her he would much rather me be in foster care than be raised the way she was. The next day my mom signed her rights of me over to him and she left for—six months. Rehab" he told Lily. "Even when she got back I didn't move back in for six more months, just in case she fell off the wagon".

"Did she"? Lily asked, unknowingly rubbing his forearm.

"No, she has been clean for three years" he boasted proudly. "Chase, he still has rights to me, just in case. Moms idea, actually. But, yesterday before I left—I walked in on them in bed together. She has never, never been able to keep a man. I was so mad, I just started drinking. Which as much as I used to get on to my mom for it, was the dumbest thing I could have done".

"If you don't mind me asking—why exactly were you mad"?

"Clean or not, she just has problems with relationships" he answered her, easily.

Chuck didn't want to admit it, but he did, in fact, know the reason he was so upset with his mother.

"She drives everyone away, and I just don't want that to happen," Chuck told her.

"But, how do you know that's going to happen"? Lily asked. "He cared about you and your mom long before all this happened, no man just storms in someone else's home and makes ultimatums as he did with her. That wasn't just about you, I'm sure you played a large part in it—of course. He might genuinely care about your mom, too".

Chuck looked up for the first time and became painfully aware of just how close he was to Jamie's cousin, and the fact that she had her hand on his arm.

The two looked at one another before sharing a small kiss.

* * *

"I just got off the phone with the chief of surgery at New Brunswick Regional Medical Center," Nathan told Lucas as he sat down next to him on a bench outside of the facility. "He seemed pretty confident that the head of Neurosurgery could perform the surgery, he is giving him the scans and everything—if all goes as planned Keith should be headed to Tree Hill first thing Monday morning".

"He was shot in the heart—the chest," Lucas said as he looked directly in front of him, his eyes fixated on something as he spoke although Nathan couldn't be entirely sure as to what. "How does he need brain surgery"?

"She explained it to us, several times," Nathan told his brother. "He had surgery and there were a few complications—".

"I know, I just can't believe any of this is happening—I didn't even know that heart surgery could be linked to the brain. He is going to wake up with mom dead and the father to a sixteen-year-old girl. How is he even going to process that"?

"He will have us," Nathan said. "We are his family. It's not going to be easy, but when he wakes up we will manage".

"If".

"When," Nathan told him sternly. "If this doctor doesn't check out I will find the best one there is in this whole damn world, Keith is alive and I'm going to keep it that way".

"But, how"? Lucas asked sitting back. "It makes no sense—Dan wouldn't have turned himself in if he thought Keith was still alive".

"No, he wouldn't but we are going to find out, I promise," Nathan told him.

Nathan didn't make promises to often, so the ones he did make he kept. That was something his brother knew in fact—but for some reason had a hard time leaving his faith in anyone when it came to this matter.

"Have you heard from Brooke"? Nathan asked, worriedly changing the topic. "I talked to Quinn earlier, Davis had a small allergic reaction—he is fine but she was trying to let Brooke know but hasn't been able to reach her. Or Haley. And I'm having a hard time getting a hold of Haley myself. It goes straight to voicemail".

"That's odd—Brooke's phone does, too," Lucas said before dialing another number. "Peyton's is doing the same thing—do you think they are okay"?

"It's not like Haley to not check in—with at least Lydia. Quinn won't be back until tomorrow night with the kids, Jamie isn't home—".

"Should we head back"?

Nathan wanted to say yes, but he knew where his brother needed to be right now. He needed to be with Keith, and Nathan needed to be with his brother.

"My bet is one or more of them is drunk" Nathan said shrugging. "Kids free weekend and all".

"It says Brooke is at Tric".

"What are you looking at"?

"The GPS on her car" Lucas said nonchalantly.

"Wait—you called Brooke first and you have her GPS on your phone".

"Oh, don't start with that" Lucas said rolling his eyes as he stood up.

"Why didn't you just check Peyton's GPS".

"I—erm—I don't have hers".

Lucas knew where this conversation could very easily go, but despite how badly Lucas tried to avoid things to do with uncle all day he decided he would much rather face those things than this topic. Probably because he wouldn't like the answer his brain had already come up with.

"Alright," Lucas said turning to walk towards the hospital. "I'm going to go and see if the doctor knows how Keith came back from the dead".

"Technically he didn't come back from the dead" Nathan said as he walked quickly to keep up with his brother.

"Well, he sure as hell was gone".

"He sure as hell was".

"Nate"?

"Yeah".

"I really want to know what happened, before I know anything else I need to know what really happened to Keith that day. I —just have to know".

"Then let's go see if we can find out".

* * *

Jamie had a little sister, of course, he had met with the writhing pain of being punched between the legs one too many times. Although nothing—and he meant nothing compared to the pain that was coursing through the area directly below his waist, he didn't care what the doctor said there was no way it was normal. He was having to lean on his girlfriend to walk, it was without a doubt the most humiliating thing he had ever endured.

"We are almost there," Madison said as she and Jamie approached his parent's house.

As the two stood in front of the door Madison reached out to turn the doorknob but found it locked.

"That's weird," Jamie said. "Moms car is here".

"Do you think she locked it before she went to bed"?

Jamie shook his head "she wouldn't be in bed, it's just past eight. The sun isn't even down".

"The doctors said they couldn't get a hold of her either, that's why they let you discharge yourself".

Jamie, confused, reached into his pocket and handed his girlfriend his set of keys. "My house key is the third one over," he said as she took them.

Madison unlocked the door and helped Jamie up the stairs and into his room, because as painful as the walk was—there was absolutely no way he was laying on display for the whole family on the couch. Once in his bedroom, Madison slowly helped him sit on the bed.

"Thanks, baby," he told her as she sat his keys down on the nightstand.

Madison found Jamie some clothes before walking back over and sitting them next to him.

"You need to get out of those clothes," she said.

Madison reached to the end of Jamie's shirt and tugging it up over his head. It was when she looked down at his pants that she hesitated, but eventually ran her fingers down his black and blue abdomen, from the massive bruising, and unbuttoned his jeans before discarding them to the side after helping her boyfriend remove them.

"God," Madison said as she looked at the bruising on his waist. "That looks so bad".

"Well, if it helps—I'm sure it feels just as bad as it looks," he said wrapping both of his arms around her waist.

"Jamie".

"Hmm"?

"You heard the doctor—no vigorous sexual activities for six to eight weeks".

"That's fine," he told her laying back on his bed. "I can't feel it anyways".

Madison couldn't help but laugh as she sat down next to him on the bed.

"Why did you freak out at the campsite"? Madison asked,

"Well, if you can't tell I had a little injury," he said sarcastically.

"No," she said. "When I tried to look at—it".

Jamie opened his eyes to find Madison looking at him, though she wasn't looking at his face.

"It's because I have never seen you naked isn't it"? She asked though he didn't need to answer her out loud—she knew.

"I just don't think that the first time you see—that particular area of my body it needs to be black and blue—and bleeding".

"Maybe—this weekend was a bad idea".

Jamie felt his heart drop to his stomach at her words. "I thought you might want to back out," he said, his voice low in disappointment.

"No, no," she said quickly. "You have the wrong impression, I just meant—do you remember when Andre and Chuck had sex for the first time they both said something similar".

"What's that"? Jamie asked. "They both went into great detail, knowing I was still Virgin it was their way of teasing".

"That it was awkward, seeing a girl naked for the first time—I don't want our first time to be awkward," Madison said. "Because, there will be a difference between our first time and theirs, we will see each other again".

"Everyday for the rest of our lives".

"So, I'm thinking that maybe—we shouldn't just jump into bed together. We should—take it slow".

"What do you mean"?

"Well, you're not able to have sex for a while so during this time we can warm up to certain things".

"Like what"?

"Like, no more limits when we kiss—when you're healed enough to really kiss. We can work our way up to sex. I want to have sex with you, I was going to go through with it Jamie. But, I was nervous about you seeing me naked for the first time—just like you were nervous about me seeing you—I'm simply suggesting that by the time we have sex we can have that part behind us".

Jamie, who was still confused, although he was still groggy from the anesthesia—simply nodded.

"You're not seeing anything below my waist right now," Jamie said pointing. "It seriously looks like the eggplant emoji everyone uses when they talk about it, and that's not cute—for anyone".

Madison laughed as she laid down next to her boyfriend. "I didn't mean now," she told him. "You're sore—".

"My hips are killing me," Jamie told her. "They hurt worse than anything".

"Let's get you dressed and then you need some rest".

* * *

"I need a shower. I need food—something that you wouldn't find in the eat less category of the food pyramid" Haley said as she walked around Tric. "It's almost ten—I need my bed I don't want to sleep on some stuffy old bar couch, I need my phone—I need to check on Lydia. I need to feed the dog, I need to do the laundry—".

"You're to do list makes me tired," Brooke said as she continued to play checkers with Peyton.

"Jamie will be home first thing in the morning and I have always cooked him a big breakfast after his camping trip—".

"Honestly, if you're not there when he gets home I really don't think he will mind," Brooke said before she laughed.

Haley turned and glared at her friend, although it was a look that tended to get her husband or kids to change their attitude—it had no effect. In fact, it only made her laugh more.

"Okay," Peyton said looking back and forth between the two. "What am I missing"?

"Nothing," Haley said immediately, as her face flushed red.

"Haley walked in on Jamie taking the sausage hostage," Brooke said turning to Peyton.

And Brooke wasn't the only one laughing anymore, Peyton found herself laughing just as hard.

"It's not funny," Haley said, although she was laughing with the two.

It was a moment that she never wanted to relive, a moment that would be burned into her brain forever but it was without a doubt hilarious. It would only ever happen to her, of course, it would happen to her.

Haley walked over and joined the two, sitting the booth with them.

"You have two boys—that will one day be teenagers," Haley told Brooke.

"But, that's why you knock".

"So, thankful for my sweet little girl," Peyton said with a grin.

"Oh, come on," Brooke said. "She is still a Scott, you'll go through this as much as we will".

"I'm putting a deadbolt on Jamie's door—I don't care. I mean I saw—it. Do you know how traumatic that is for a mother"?

"They say that when boys go through puberty—they take after their father's in that area, is it true"? Brooke asked smiling as she looked at Haley.

Brooke's comment didn't register with Haley, at first. She found it to be an odd change of topic, but when it hit her, it fell like a ton of bricks.

"Oh, my god. Eww. Brooke"! Haley said covering her hands with her face. "You literally just ruined my sex life, I'm never going to be able to have sex with Nathan again after that".

"Good," Brooke said shrugging. "Maybe now the rest of the house can get some sleep. But, I say that answers my question".

"And ruined having a decent conversation with my son ever again".

"Brooke" Peyton said shaking her head. "Why would you even say that? Now, we all know what Jamie looks like naked—none of us needed that".

"Why has everyone at this table seen my husband naked"? Haley asked although she laughed.

"Two-thirds have seen my husband," Peyton told her.

"Just as many have seen my husband," Brooke said, but her smile quickly dropped. "Saw. We saw him".

Although the three had been laughing for quite some time—the laughter slowly died out when Brooke realized that anytime she spoke about Julian she had to use his name in the past tense. He no longer existed, he was no longer here with her and their boys.

Peyton and Haley watched as Brooke—their best friend, the life of the party—broke down. They watched as her heart physically shattered and they each wrapped an arm around her.

"When is this going to stop hurting"? She asked wiping away her tears.

Haley and Peyton looked up at each other, but truthfully neither had an answer that would make her feel better.

"My mom told me that—it never stopped hurting," Haley said. "But, it does get easier"

"And you have us until it does," Peyton told her. "You're a warrior—remember"?

Brooke sniffled as she looked at her two best friends, Peyton who had her head on Brooke's shoulder, and Haley who had her head rested against Brooke's—she sat there with her two best friends in the world.

Unmoved.

Unbothered.

United.

"If I had known to talk about Jamie's teenaged maturation habit and my dead husband would bring you two back together—I would have done this before I drank two bottles of tequila yesterday".

* * *

"Now, this is more like it," Lucas said as he walked into the hotel room he was sharing with his brother. "Notice how it has two beds? That's my favorite part—don't want you trying to grab my ass a second night in a row".

Nathan rolled his eyes "I did not grab your ass—I would never even look at your ass, ever".

"You were asleep—it's okay. You probably thought I was Haley, we have the exact same ass".

"You and Haley do not have the same ass".

"And how would you know that if you weren't touching or looking at my ass"?

"For the love of God," Nathan said throwing his head back. "Can we talk about anything else that doesn't concern your damn ass? You're such a pain in the ass".

Lucas laughed as his brother shook his head and sat down on the bed. He then slowly pulled out a relatively large file. "This is everything the doctors could find on Keith. It's everything they had there on him as a John Doe—to everything when he was Keith Scott from the year he was born. She printed it all out for us" Nathan told his brother. "I'm hoping that maybe we could figure out something, anything—through this, nothing is in order so we better get started".

Nathan opened the file and pulled out two folders handing them to Lucas—before taking his own.

The brothers were both tired, exhausted—but neither would be able to sleep until they had answers. Any answers, any indication as to what really happened. So, they searched—and they searched. They went through every folder, every paper—every doctor visit he Keith ever had that was documented.

"Did you know Keith broke his leg"? Lucas said as he took a long sip out of his coffee. "He was fourteen, the doctor's note says sibling rivalry".

Nathan scoffed "I would say that's an understatement," he said.

"Of a lifetime".

"Wait," Nathan said as he laid the folder he had been searching through.

"What"?

"I don't know why but I just remembered—after I was kidnapped when I got home Haley had these nightmares for months, she got a call one day to go down to the corners office to identify a body," Nathan told his brother. "It wasn't me, though".

"I actually put that one together, Nate".

Nathan rolled his eyes "someone—a family member would have had to identify the body".

Lucas nodded, "the same thing with Peyton when she got a call about Larry," he told Nathan. "That was back in high school, but yeah—she had to do the same thing".

"I had to sign one with dad, even though he died right in front of me" Nathan explained. "It's not a death certificate—it's more like a confirmation or death. That's the paper we need to find".

And like wildfire the brothers began ripping through the papers, they searched and they searched. It amazed them both just how many records Keith had in his short life, but finally, Lucas jumped up at the sight of the paper the two spent seventy-three minutes looking for.

"Found it," Lucas said standing up. "Keith Alan Scott—blah, blah, blah— signature, this can't be right".

"What? Who"?

"Deb—it's Mrs. Dan Scott, signed just like that" Lucas said handing his brother the paper.

"Mom? I thought mom and dad were divorced then".

"They filed for it—but maybe it hadn't gone through yet"?

"No," Nathan said as he examined the paper closer. "Luke, this doesn't make sense".

"Well, we can go straight to the source and just ask her".

"She won't be back for three weeks, she is on some singles cruise. No technology, no phone—nothing" Nathan said tossing the paper to the side. "Could she have been that strung out—? Not to notice that the man on the table wasn't her brother-in-law"?

Lucas sat down next to Nathan, "when she gets back, we will just talk to her then, hopefully, she will have some sort of answers for us".

* * *

Naked.

Lily was naked. She wasn't in her own tent, that she bought specifically for the adventure, and she was naked.

She slowly glanced under blankets that were draped over her and Chuck—and he was naked, too.

Freaking out would be a good reaction, however, she made these decisions totally sober.

There was zero alcohol involved in her Saturday, she spent the day hiking and exploring nature—the woman who hated dirt, spent the day alone in the woods with two strangers and some point in time ended up in one of the stranger's tents. Instead of her own.

Okay, so he wasn't exactly a stranger. She had been around him more than a handful of times, but she never got his jokes and he had always been quite annoying.

Oh, yeah and he was Jamie's friend, which basically makes him family. Or close to.

But, he was awfully cute.

"Jamie is going to kick my ass into the middle of next week," Chuck said as he rolled on to his back, away from her, making it known that he was awake too.

Lily couldn't help but giggle "why's that"?

"I got his penis broken and then used mine to have sex with his cousin," Chuck said rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "He is effectively going to end my life".

"It won't be that bad," Lily said laughing.

"Friday, it was supposed to be his and Maddie's first time—trust me it's going to be that bad".

"Oh," Lily said, but still couldn't help herself from laughing. "Well, in that case—he just might kill you".

"Thank you for the support," Chuck said as he looked at her, smiling, still groggy from the sleeping. "Can you hand my underwear"?

Lily reached over and handed him the boxers in the corner, Chuck slipped them on then reached for his shirt.

"Madison will be here about mid-day to get us," Chuck told her. "So, my funeral will probably be about Tuesday".

"Hmm, What should I wear"?

"What you have on is just fine".

Lily laughed, and playfully smacked him on the arm—but before she knew it she was kissing him. And she didn't mind it. He didn't seem to mind it either, the only person who would possibly be upset with the current situation was Jamie.

And Andre, who lay in the next tent—kicking himself for not asking Lily out when he had the chance.

* * *

The door to Tric swung open Haley, Peyton, and Brooke all three jumped up at the sound—the sound they had prayed for forty-one hours. Chase stood in the doorway observing, what could only be called a chaotic mess—the liquor bottles, the blankets, the food, and the three women behind it all running at him like they were heading towards a seventy-five percent sale at the mall.

"Thank you, thank you," Peyton said as Brooke ran past Chase nearly knocking him down as she ran in the direction of her vehicle.

"I could kiss you" Brooke called behind her. "I don't want to—but I could".

Peyton laughed as Haley caught up with them.

"This place is a mess," he said.

"Yeah—be careful about shutting that door. Put it on my tab" Haley told him. "Better yet, put it on Brooke's tab".

Peyton laughed, as she and Haley ran after Brooke who was already in her car.

* * *

Nathan drove his brother's car up his driveway to find Haley, Brooke, and Peyton climbing out of Brooke's large SUV—all three laughing and smiling.

"Looks like Haley and Peyton are getting along," Lucas said, looking at his wife and best friend, confused.

Nathan parked, shut the Engine off, and got out of the car with his brother.

"Are you alright"? Nathan asked walking over to his wife.

"Of course I am," she said wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Don't take this the wrong way but you need a shower" he told her. "I tried to call you all day yesterday—Quinn couldn't get a hold of Brooke".

"Yeah," Brooke said. "I just walked to her".

"Just now"? Lucas asked. "We tried to call you—all three of you—all day yesterday".

"And this morning," Nathan told him. "If you weren't here when we got home I was calling the law, I was really starting to get worried".

"We are fine" Haley promised her husband leaning up and kissing him. "We just—well—".

"We have been trapped—all weekend," Peyton said. "Inside of Tric".

"Trapped"? Nathan asked. "Why didn't you call someone"?

"Damn it," Brooke said throwing her arms up. "Why didn't we think of that"? Before she took her hand and popped Nathan on his forehead. "We couldn't"!

"With the remodeling when the electric kicked off it the phone and internet powered down and it has to be turned back on from the inside," Peyton told Lucas and Nathan. "And they are waiting on some parts so it locks when you shut it and you can only open it from the outside".

"I know you three weren't without your phones," Lucas said.

"Oh, of course not" Brooke agreed. "I got really good at Tetris".

"Tric has those walls that block out all mobile carriers—internet, phones—I loved the idea that when you go to Tric no one is trying to talk on their phones or they have to step outside," Haley said. "Until this weekend".

"What did you eat"?

"Brown liquor," Brooke said. "And lots of it".

Nathan and Lucas laughed.

"How did your weekend turn out"? Haley asked looking back and forth between Lucas and Nathan.

"Well, it's Keith," Lucas said. "He is alive".

"Wait—What"? Peyton asked, shocked, looking at her husband.

"We are still learning all the details ourselves but we saw him. He is in a coma—he needs surgery. But, mom is the one who identified the body" Nathan said. "I don't know what to make of that".

"I don't know how to even tell Lily," Lucas said.

"Back up—Keith is alive"? Peyton asked looking at her husband, and he nodded. "You saw him"?

"He is in a coma—he has been for the last seventeen years but yeah—it's him".

"What's the surgery"?

"When he was shot—he had to have open heart surgery and there was a complication. Well, now he needs brain surgery but he always needed a family ever to sign off on it" Lucas told her.

"Doctors can intervene without patients say so if it's life or death but they can't just up and do brain surgery if the patient is in most respects healthy," Nathan said. "Keith isn't brain dead, and besides being in a coma he is very healthy".

"So, will you do the surgery"?

"Nate and I are leaning towards yes," Lucas told his wife. "We are talking to a doctor here on Wednesday but I know Keith—he would rather take a risk than spend the rest of his life as a vegetable".

Peyton covered her mouth, mostly from the shock, but also because the news was so great.

"You should wait until after the surgery though to tell Lily," Brooke said.

"I absolutely agree," Peyton said.

The five all smiled, there were mixed feelings about Keith but the fact remained he was alive. It was still confusing and new and didn't feel real but he was alive.

Lily wasn't an orphan.

Nathan and Lucas had an uncle.

The door to the house swung open and Madison stepped out, unaware that five adults stood on the outside.

"Oh," she said when they all looked up at her. "I didn't know you were all here, sorry. I was just going to pick up the rest from the campsite".

"The rest"? Haley asked. "Why aren't you at the campsite"?

Nathan and Lucas shared a look, luckily unnoticed by Haley. They both assumed that Madison and Jamie had come back to the house to be alone, how wrong they were.

"Jamie and I got back last night," she said, awkwardly.

"Wait—you and Jamie spent the night here, by yourselves"? Haley asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, god—no. I mean—erm, yes. Yes, we did—but not like that" Madison attempted to explain nervously, her words spilling out like vomit. Unable to stop them or control them. "Jamie had an accident—I took him to the hospital Friday night".

"Oh, my god" Haley said darting to the door. "I need to go check on him".

Madison grabbed Haley by the arm stopping her from charging into the house like the mama bear she was wanting to be. "After what happened the other morning—I don't think that's a good idea".

"Does everyone know about that"? Haley asked looking at her friends, all of which shrugged and nodded. "Why does that matter? If he is hurt—I need to go check on him".

"Haley, I respect you like my boyfriend's mom and my boss and my mentor but I can not allow you to go into his bedroom".

Madison wasn't exactly one to stand up to someone with authority. At all. But, she was proud of herself, although she didn't know she looked as threatening at as little bunny you buy at the state fair.

"Okay," Nathan said chuckling at Madison. "What is going on with my son—can you inform of us of that"?

"Jamie broke—a bone," Madison said.

"A bone"? Nathan asked. "A leg, and arm—what kind of bone are we talking about here that his mom can't go take a look at"?

Madison shut her eyes tightly and felt her entire face turn a bright shade of red. "He—erm, he broke a bone" she repeated slowly unable to make eye contact with either of his parents. "Jamie broke a bone, that only a man could break".

And that was all it took.

"Damn".

"Oh, damn".

The dramatic responses came from Nathan and Lucas, both of which felt the sudden need to cover their lower parts—as though they had felt the same pain.

"He broke—his penis"? Brooke asked.

Madison nodded, slowly.

Brooke, Peyton, and Haley all three burst out laughing.

"That's not funny," Nathan told them.

"Not even in the least" Lucas agreed.

"Oh, just two days ago you two were dying after Haley walked in on him," Brooke said.

"That was funny," Nathan said, putting his hands on his hips. "This is not—you three really need to know your boundaries".

"Us"? Haley asked. "This coming from the man who has to have sex after every funeral we have ever been to—including Keith's".

"Yeah, and he is still alive, so look where that got us," Nathan told his wife. "I'm going to check on my poor son".

"I'm going with you," Lucas said.

The girls watched as Lucas and Nathan disappeared behind the door.

"Men," Peyton said scoffing.

* * *

Jamie limped around his room, as he searched for his antibiotics—that he knew his girlfriend left someplace. He remembered that she told him where she put them, he remembered she told him not to forget where she put them, and yet he couldn't remember. But, between the pain and the exhaustion, the only thing he could seem to recall was that he wasn't wearing any pants.

Knock, knock.

"Who is it"? Jamie asked.

"It's Luke—and your dad" he heard his uncles voice.

Jamie glanced in the mirror, he wore an oversized long sleeve shirt and a pair of boxer briefs, his tattoo was covered but for the first time that wasn't his main concern. He needed pants.

Before he had the chance to respond the door swung open.

"We took our chances and assumed you weren't doing anything—important" Lucas said as Nathan shut the door behind them.

"Nope," Jamie said as he continued to limp through his room, searching for pants and antibiotics—in that order. "Not for six to eight weeks".

"Seriously"? Nathan asked.

"I have stitches—where no man wants stitches," Jamie said ultimately giving up and sat down on his bed. "No sex, no masturbation—I even have to wear a cup when I play basketball—which FYI I'm not even allowed to do for at least two weeks".

"Damn," Lucas said as he sat down next to his nephew, unfazed by the fact that Jamie was only wearing underwear from the waist down. "I am curious about something".

"Oh, great" Jamie said looking Lucas. "What's that"?

"Well, I thought you could only—end up with a—fracture like that during sex"? Lucas asked. "Madison didn't exactly clarify how this happened, I know I said to give it all you got but—".

"We were not having sex—that is not how this happened," Jamie said pointing down below his waist. "It was a horse. A horse stomped on me—a wild horse at that. I'm not limping around because of my—you know, I can't even feel my favorite part of my body" he said causing his dad and Lucas to both chuckled. "Wait—did you tell him"? He asked pointing to his dad.

Jamie had become aware that when the topic of sex got brought up Nathan didn't flinch, or react at all. As if he already knew.

"Yeah" Lucas admitted. "I did, but relax. He isn't like your mom, he isn't going to freak out and want to put you back into preschool".

"No, but he will tell her," he told Lucas before turning to his dad and saying, "you tell her everything".

"I don't tell your mom everything," Nathan said as he sat down in the chair in front of Jamie and Lucas. "I don't lie to her, but I won't just come out and tell her either".

"Besides," Lucas said. "There are some things your dad would probably be better at helping you with then I would—especially when it comes to sex".

"You want me to get sex tips—from him"? Jamie asked pointing at his dad. "The man who screws my mom—seriously"?

"You have a broken penis—If I were you I would take advice from anyone who would give it".

"Touché".

"Anyways—back to how this happened—you said something about a horse"?

Jamie pinched the bridge of his nose as he really didn't want to relive this particular memory but he nodded. "Madison and I—we were fooling around about to—you know," he said glancing up awkwardly at his dad. "Andre came over and said Chuck was missing. He had been drinking—a lot. So, we went to go help look for him and we got in the middle of these wild horses, I guess between leaving the tent and ending up in the field with the horses I didn't—erm, exactly—".

"Deflate"? Lucas asked.

"What's with you and your odd metaphors and choice of words"?

Lucas laughed but found he was the only one.

"I'm actually with him on this one" Nathan said pointing at his son.

"Anyways—yes it didn't go down, I was really turned on and this horse stomped on me I heard this loud pop, and I just prayed it was my hip or leg but mom watches enough of those medical dramas that I just knew," Jamie said.

"How bad is it"? Nathan asked his son.

"My dick"?

"Well—That and the rest of the area not just that one specific—part".

Jamie leaned back and lifted the bottom of his shirt up—revealing the bottom of his abdomen that was black and blue and even part were purple from the massive bruising.

"Damn," Lucas said, wincing at the sight.

"God," Nathan said as Jamie lowered his shirt back down. "But, they checked for internal bleeding and things like that"?

Jamie nodded. "Yeah, it's just bad bruising. They gave me some medicine and said I should make a full recovery—but don't be surprised if I can't give you any biological grandkids one day".

Lucas laughed "I'm going to go downstairs and talk to Peyton," he told the father and son duo before stepping out of the room shutting the door behind him.

"So," Jamie said rubbing his palms together as he glanced up at his dad. "What all did uncle Luke tell you"?

Nathan shrugged, he felt that there wasn't a right answer to that.

"He told you about—the problem I was nervous about". Jamie said.

It wasn't a question, he could tell by the way his father was dodging the previous question he asked.

"Yes," Nathan told him. "I mean he told me you were worried that you wouldn't last long".

"Thank you for not using some horrible metaphor," Jamie said. "Luke started talking about a bank".

Nathan laughed, oh his brother.

"But, yeah. Worry doesn't begin to cover it, I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack over it" Jamie admitted.

"That's when Luke told you to—".

"Yes," Jamie said before he could finish his sentence.

"Why—If you don't mind me asking why were nervous about that"?

Jamie found it odd, the man who he used to share everything with so easily and the two had trouble speaking with one another. At least, about this matter.

"I—don't want it to just be thirty seconds," Jamie told him. "I want it to be good for her, too. That's what I told Luke. I know it will be good for me, anything that doesn't involve a porno with a cheesy storyline and my right arm would be great for me, but this isn't just my first time it's hers, too".

"Jamie, you know there are other ways to ensure that she enjoys it as much as you do, right? I mean—foreplay. If you spend a good twenty minutes on foreplay, correctly, she will enjoy it as much as you do. I promise".

"We have years and years of foreplay, I don't want to kiss her for twenty minutes," Jamie said. "What is she going to get out of that"?

"Oh, my god. I have failed as a father" Nathan said, only half serious. "Jamie, you know foreplay isn't just kissing—right"?

"What"?

"There are other ways to—help, make sure she has a great time before you even actually start having sex".

Jamie, confused, looked at his dad—at first, he thought he was kidding but found no trace of a smile on Nathan's face.

"What do you mean"? Jame asked.

Nathan snickered "what porno's are you watching that you literally know nothing about foreplay"? He asked his son. "Foreplay is just as important as sex is, especially for a woman—and especially her first time. That way it's less painful".

"It's painful"?

"The wrong choice of words," Nathan said running his fingers through his hair. "Not painful, uncomfortable but not if you know what you're doing—which you clearly don't. Okay, here's what you do—".

Outside the door, Lucas laughed silently as he continued to Jamie and Nathan talk—bond.

Believe it or not, most of the time, Lucas did know what he was doing. He knew that Haley wasn't ready to accept her son had grown up, but Nathan was different. Perhaps it was the father-son relationship that he always wished he had with Dan, but never did, that he longed for with his son.

Jamie was tired of being treated like a kid, that's why he began to distance himself from his father and mother. Lucas could see through that, easily. He knew of that was going to change he had to warm up to one parent or the other, Lucas knew if it was going to be either parent it would be Nathan.

For now.

But, it was a start.

"Damn, I'm good," Lucas said as he walked away.

Lucas found his wife in the bedroom he had been staying in the past couple weeks, fresh out of the shower.

"I so needed that," she said drying her hair off with a towel.

"A shower"? He asked as he shut the door.

"That, too," she told him smiling. "But, no. A weekend with the girls—not the way I envisioned Haley warming back up to me but I guess beggars can't be choosers".

Lucas smiled before he walked up behind Peyton and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, she tensed up—perhaps it was the surprise or perhaps it was the fact that she hadn't been touched let alone held by her husband in so long.

Lucas looked at her through the mirror "Can we talk"?

* * *

_I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride  
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive  
I'm a cowboy, I got the night on my side  
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive  
And I ride, dead or alive  
I still drive (I still drive) dead or alive  
Dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive_

* * *

_**A/N I started to get a little nervous over the last conversation between Nathan and Jamie, Due to the fact that I felt I was getting a little past the borderline of PG-13. Such as things as Jamie calling a penis a dick, but I figured he is 16 and a 16-year-old boys would not want that referred to as penis. I have a six-year-old brother and a 17-year-old brother, and an 11-year-old son none of which like the medical term.**_

**_ As I have mentioned before because I have seen a couple private messages, and a few reviews that want Peyton and Lucas to get divorced, that will happen. But, as I have explained before I still want to keep these characters is real to how they were in the series and I just feel that no matter what Lucas just wouldn't leave his marriage and jump into bed with another person, no matter who it is. Brucas Will happen but it will happen over a longer time Than five or six chapters. _**

**_ But, Deb is the mastermind behind the fact that Keith is still alive, can you guess what she did?_**

**_ I was asked about where the kids are during all this, I probably should have clarified it in the first part they were away with Quinn. _**

**_Thanks for reading! review! & until next time! _**

**_xOXO_**


	7. Just Give Me A Reason

**_Disclaimer: I Don't own rights to anything, except the storylines, and don't claim to own Rights to anything. _**

**_Triggers: if you have made it this far this will not be a trick her story. Same old same old_**

**_Time jump (one week) (between Ch6 & 7)_**

* * *

_Right from the start  
You were a thief, you stole my heart  
And I your willing victim  
I let you see the parts of me, that weren't all that pretty  
And with every touch you fixed them  
Now you've been talking in your sleep oh oh  
Things you never say to me oh oh  
Tell me that you've had enough  
Of our love, our love_

_Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough  
Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again  
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts  
We're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again_

* * *

"If you don't get going you're going to be late," Chris Keller told Peyton glancing down at his watch. "I feel like being late to your first marriage therapy session wouldn't make the best first impression".

Peyton hated to admit it, but Chris was right "Are you sure?—I hate to leave you with this large load. There is so much to do and—".

"I have been doing this for years" Chris assured her. "Sophia will be here at two and—".

"I haven't even met her," Peyton said as she gathered her things stuffing the items into the bottom of her purse. "She has made two different and very successful albums with the label and I have never even met her".

"Amazing voice," Mia said, as she stood behind her husband's chair. "Not the most talented with songwriting skills—that's why she is coming by to look through some new songs for her next album".

"But, what about—"?

"Peyton," Mia said, interrupting her boss. "Stop avoiding, go. You said yourself you wanted to work on your marriage—to work on your marriage and stop making excuses".

"You know ever since you became a mom you have become so bossy," Peyton said throwing her purse over her shoulder as she walked towards the door. "Don't forget the conference call at—"

"Two," Chris said cutting her off. "I know".

"Go" Mia ordered pointing.

Peyton huffed as she turned around "yes, mom" she said waving her hand over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

"Damn, kids," Chris said, smiling up at his wife.

* * *

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the first day of school"? Haley asked as continued to race through her home—in an attempt to be ready on time.

"Every single year," Nathan told his wife as he slapped his watch over his wrist.

"Do you have time to drop, Lydia off at school"?

"Not even if I wanted to," Nathan told her honestly. "I have to be at the high school to talk to the basketball team before school starts and I have a meeting at eight fifteen. I'm already on a tight time crunch".

"It's fine," Haley said.

"Lunch"?

"Hopefully".

Nathan leaned over and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips before turning towards the door but Haley grabbed him by the hand pulling him back towards her.

"Try that one more time" she demanded with a smile on her face.

Nathan cupped his wife's check and softly ran his lips across hers, once and then twice.

"I love you, Haley James".

"Better" Haley said with a smile. "I love you, be careful".

Nathan ducked out the front door as Haley frantically searched for her keys "Jamie—Lydia" she called up the staircase. "Hurry. Let's go".

Jamie came down the stairs just seconds later, although not in the rush his mom was currently in.

"Bye," Jamie said as he headed towards the door, in an attempt to avoid any type of conversation his mom had planned.

"Wait" Haley called before he had the chance to make his quick getaway. "Lunch money"?

"Got it".

Haley turned to look at Jamie before awkwardly asking "will you be okay to go to school. It's only been a week since you broke your—".

"God mom," Jamie said shutting his eyes tightly. "Can you not"?

"I'm just making sure. What's wrong with that"?

"Can I go now"?

"Not yet—the first day of school pictures," she told him before yelling "Lydia get down here" up the staircase.

"You can't be serious," Jamie said.

"We have done this every year, what makes you think this year is any different"? Haley asked looking at him.

"I broke my penis this summer—haven't I suffered enough"?

"What's a penis"? Lydia asked as she walked down the last couple stairs joining her mother and brother in the living room.

Jamie snickered, although Haley found no humor in the situation that her son did.

"Go stand with your brother" Haley ordered her youngest as she pulled her phone out. "Now, smile—James Lucas if I don't see those teeth I'm pulling them out".

"If I smile will you never talk about my—injury again"?

"Deal".

Jamie and Lydia smiled as Haley snapped more than enough pictures of her two children on her phone.

"Alright—you're free to go," Haley said as she turned around stuffing her phone in her purse "I lov—".

Haley heard the door close and turned around to find her teenager already gone.

"You really need to do something about his attitude," Lydia said crossing her arms, causing her mom to smile.

"Let's go," Haley said taking her daughters hand before the two left, just as the two Scott men had.

* * *

"What do you think"? Sawyer Scott asked as she ran into the kitchen with a wide smile on her face.

Brooke turned around, pausing from packing three different lunches, three different requests, and three different types of allergies—each one specifically labeled.

"I think you look like a young Hayden Panettiere," Brooke said smiling.

"Whose that"?

"You're grounded".

Sawyer laughed, "you're not my mommy or my daddy".

"Yeah, well they are grounded, too," Brooke told her. "Now, go get your backpack—pronto".

"Do you even know what pronto means"? Jude asked as he walked into the kitchen with his backpack on his back. "Or do you just say it because all the moms on TV say it"?

"I know what pronto means thank you—Sawyer book bag. Now, please".

The little curly haired blonde skipped off as Brooke closed the lid on all the small lunch boxes that sat on the counter.

"You said we were moving home," Jude said as he climbed up on the stool on the opposite side of the counter. "This isn't home".

"Actually, it is," Brooke told him. "Or for now it, is, this is where your daddy and I lived when we got married and you and your brother were first born".

"For now"? Davis asked as he walked in joining his family. "Does that mean we are going to move again"?

"Probably," Brooke told her sons. "I have been looking at a few houses".

"I'm tired of moving," Jude told her.

"I like it at Nathan and Haley's".

"I did, too but we couldn't stay there forever—they need their privacy just like we needed ours".

"Then why are Peyton and Sawyer here"? Jude asked.

"Yeah, why don't they live with Lucas"? Davis asked.

"Aren't you two just full of questions this morning"? Brooke said running her fingers through her hair. "I will answer all of them, but right now the four of us need to get on the road. Okay? Once we get you to school I still have forms to fill out".

Davis and Jude both jumped down rolling their eyes dramatically at their mother.

"She needs a boyfriend," David told his brother.

"She needs something" Jude agreed.

* * *

Chuck raced through the school hall dodging and ducking around the many students that stood in his way. He walked quickly in an attempt to catch up with Lily who he found was much faster than he thought. It wasn't until the two were standing outside the school that he was able to get near her.

"Hey," Chuck said as he reached out and grabbed her hand, and she turned around to face him.

"Oh," she said with a small voice. "Hey," she said awkwardly.

"Did—did I do something"? He asked letting her arm go and stuffing his hands into his jeans.

"Wha—no," she said shaking her head. "What makes you think that"?

"Well, you weren't in school five seconds before you ran out. I saw you look at me and thought—I don't know you didn't want to see me or something".

"Chuck," she said smiling. "We have been making out and having sex for a week," she told him, not that he needed to be reminded. It would have been hard to forget, she was clearly out of his league. "You're the one who doesn't want to tell Jamie, not me".

"Is that what this is about"? He asked looking at her.

"It has nothing to do with you," Lily said wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's just—I have been so excited to go to school—I forgot that's where my dad was shot and killed until I walked in and saw the memorial sign and I just—" she said tears flowing down her eyes "I just needed a minute".

"Oh, damn". Chuck said running his hand down his face, how could he forget such a thing? He grew up with Jamie, he heard the stories so many times, how on earth could it have slipped his mind. "I'm so sorry Lils. That's got to be so hard" he said running his hands down the sides of her bare arms before planting a small kiss on her lips.

"You're making it a little better," she told him. "I never met him, but—".

"Rather you met him or not, he was still your father and he was killed. It's going to hurt regardless".

Lily stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Chuck on the lips, "thank you" she told him. "Have you talked to your mom".

"No," he told her. "I am still staying at Andre's. I'm not ready to go back home, yet".

"Charles".

"You're the only person in the world that I let call me that," Chuck said pointing a finger at her. "I will talk to her, I swear".

Lily rolled her eyes but as Chuck went to kiss her she quickly jumped out of his reach, at first he was confused but then looked over his shoulder to see Jamie and Madison walking towards the school, hand in hand.

"Hey," Chuck said as Jamie and Madison approached.

"Have you checked your phone"? Jamie asked as he looked down at his smartphone in his hand.

"No," Chuck said shaking his head as he reached into his pocket.

"Dad sent a group text to the whole team—said to meet in the gym".

"It's the first day of school," Chuck said. "What could it possibly be about"? He asked as he looked through his phone. "I got it, too".

"So, did the girl's team," Madison told him. "We better go".

"Catch you later"? Chuck asked, turning to Lily as Jamie and Madison walked away, and she nodded. "Will you be alright"?

"Yeah," she told him. "I will text Haley and walk in with her".

Chuck nodded, before following his two friends.

* * *

"We need to make this quick" Lucas said as he caught up with Nathan as the two walked towards the high school. "Peyton and I have our first session in forty-five minutes".

"Alright," Nathan told his brother as he checked his watch. "I need to be at the office in less than that anyways".

"Will you be at the hospital this afternoon"?

"To meet with that doctor about Keith's surgery"?

"No, I just thought we could browse the baby section in the maternity ward," Lucas said sarcastically. "Yes, it's about Keith".

"What all did the doctor say on the phone"? Nathan asked, ignoring his brother's comment.

"That he would discuss it with us at the hospital at three thirty. I invited Peyton to come—you might want to bring Haley".

Nathan nodded, as he opened the door to the school and the two walked in.

"I find it odd that after all these years we are still walking these damn halls," Lucas told his brother. "We are like the exes that just couldn't take a hint".

Nathan and Lucas made their way through the school that was full of high schoolers until the reached the gym, a path they could have done with their eyes closed. They walked through the double doors to find a large group of boys and girls sitting on the bleachers—talking, listening to music, eating, and just all around being teenagers.

Nathan whistled "listen up," he said as he and Lucas approached the bleachers, gaining everyone's attention. "We don't have a lot of time so let's just get to the point. I will not be coaching you boys this year".

"What"?

"Why"?

"But, coach".

"What the hell"?

The boy's team burst out in a series of let down remakes, all except Jamie—which Nathan noticed, which is exactly why he wouldn't be coaching the boy's team. Although, he wasn't going to inform anyone of that, after spending three years in the position.

"Calm down," Nathan told them waving his hand. "I will be leaving you in great hands—the best. This is my big brother and he is going to be coaching you this year".

"You're Lucas, right"? One of the boys asked to which he nodded.

"Didn't your guy's dad get two women pregnant in one year"? Another boy asked. "You two are the same age but have different moms—right"?

"The man shot his brother and he is still known for that" Lucas whispered to Nathan shaking his head. "All questions will be asked and answered later," he said raising his voice back to a regular tone. "I am Lucas Scott, Nathan's brother. This Friday I am holding tryouts for the new Freshman go have a chance to join the team and next Tuesday another try out for sophomore's and up giving some kids the opportunity to play that couldn't or haven't in the past couple years. Then we will have our first practice next Friday".

"Basketball season doesn't start until—November" one of the older boys said, confused by Lucas' statement.

"What's your name, kid"? Lucas asked him.

"Everyone calls me Reese," he said shrugging.

"Alright, Reese—I have a good feeling you're going to spend a lot of time warming up the bench this season," Lucas told him. "Nate is a damn good coach and an even better player—but we do things differently. You don't want to play, don't come to practice. That's how simple I'll make it for you, you miss more than one practice without either a doctors excuse or something you previously discussed and cleared with me—you sit out a game. But, you will be present at every game—again unless it's medical or discussed with me, otherwise, you miss a game your off the team. You will not play for the Tree Hill Ravens for this season, you can try again next year".

"You seniors better listen up," Nathan said. "Most of you working towards scholarships, there will be scouts looking at you this year—you can't get a scholarship in basketball if you aren't playing".

"That brings me to another point," Lucas told them. "If you want to play a certain position come to tryouts on Tuesday with the rest of the school, otherwise I will put you where I see fit. That means the positions you played last year may not be the positions you play this year" Lucas explained. "Nate has given me notes from last year—but until I see you play you have no positions".

"But, I have been point guard since I was a freshman," a senior in the back said.

"Then show up to tryouts, Kyle" Jamie told him without looking behind him—knowing exactly who it was who spoke.

"Easy for you to say—either way, you're getting coached by your dad or your uncle," another boy said. "It's safe to say you'll get what you want".

"Absolutely not," Lucas said. "I assure you there will be no favoritism".

"If anything he will be harder on Jamie than the rest of the team," Nathan said.

"Oh, goody," Jamie said sarcastically.

"Now, this goes for anyone—if you're playing on my team you will give it your absolute best. You win some and you lose some—but if you lose and you didn't give it everything you have, I don't care if you spent the whole game on the beach the whole team will run suicides until your legs fall off".

Nathan wanted to laugh at the reactions, Lucas was receiving but just stood behind his brother—listening.

"And lastly—I know that you're teens and that your party, that's your business," Lucas told them. "But, with that said drugs—will not be tolerated. After our first practice, I am sending permission sheets home to do drug testing—at any time. If even a shimmer of weed pops up in your system, your bench that is if I don't kick you off the team".

"That goes for the girl's team, too," Nathan said.

"Wait," Madison said looking at Nathan smiling. "Are you coaching the girl's team"?

"Yes," he answered. "That's why I won't be coaching the boys this year and passed it off to my brother instead".

"Yes," Madison said before sticking her tongue out at Jamie.

"So, if you are on medication make sure to report it to us," Nathan said, smiling at Jamie's girlfriend's enthusiasm. "We just needed to introduce you to Lucas and let you know that I will be coaching the girl's team. Other than that—you dismissed".

The group quickly spread out and left the gym—except Madison and Jamie.

"Do I really need to report my dick meds"? He asked looking at his dad and Lucas as he held Madison's hand.

Lucas laughed "I figured you weren't going to announce it in front of everyone, but yes," he told his nephew. "You're on pain killers right now, so they do need to be documented".

Jamie nodded "alright, I'll get you the prescription. See you".

Madison and Jamie left the gymnasium quietly, it wasn't until they reached the hall way that Madison smiled and said: "Luke is going to kick your all's asses this year".

"Sounds like it, doesn't it"?

* * *

The bell rang, echoing through the halls of Tree Hill high school as Haley shut the door to her classroom before turning around finding twenty pairs of eyes, on her. It was something she had become quite accustomed to, but this was this first time she had ever her own son in her classroom, and not as a guest.

"I had a few of you last year that wrote on the school paper," Haley said as she walked to the front if the classroom. "But, I don't teach freshman—for those that don't know my name is Haley James Scott. You may call me Mrs. Scott, you may not call me Mrs. J.S., you may not call me Mrs. Coach, or Haley, or HJS, or Jamie's mom—we are not in a fountains of Wayne song and you ask me who that is you automatically fail this class" she said with a smile.

It was a joke, a corny stupid joke—but it did get a few laughs. Even from her son, which she found shocking.

"Welcome, to your sophomore English class," Haley said. "Every day I will have a quote on the board—if you can identify the quote you get out of homework for the evening, and yes you will have homework on the first day, welcome to your second year of high school kids," she told her students.

"There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures" Haley read without even glancing at the board to read the quote she had written. "Does anyone know what this quote is from"? She asked as she walked up one of the aisles looking at the large group of sixteen-year-olds. "Whoever knows it gets out of tonight's homework—but still gets full credit".

The room fell painfully silent as Haley watched the teenagers share one glance after another, possibly waiting for someone to answer. But, no matter how many kids didn't know it, no matter how horrible that was to her literature loving her heart, she knew at least there was one sixteen year old that knew that quote by heart—and if he wasn't going to answer it by himself Mrs. Scott would just have to pressure it out of her son, which she was certain she could do.

Haley walked down the second aisle as she saw her son sinking farther and farther down into his seat. "You see," she said gaining everyone's attention. "I know one of you knows this answer—I'm just wondering if he is going to answer mommy's question," Haley said as she placed her hand on Jamie's shoulder. "I used to read this to my son when he was a wee little baby. I would rock him in the nursery and read this as I fed him, breastf—".

"William Shakespeare" Jamie cut her off, mortified before she could finish the rest of her sentence. Although, he didn't cut her off in time, just like that the entire class knew that the basketball player had been a breastfed baby. "Julius Caesar," he said as he looked up at his girlfriend who was smiling from ear to ear before. "Dead God" he whispered popping his hood up over his head and sliding down in his seat as far as he could go without hitting the floor.

Haley held back her laughter, with much difficulty knowing she just couldn't pass up the opportunity to embarrass her son a little—but in doing so she got what she wanted.

"Good," Haley said letting go of her son's shoulder and walking towards the front of the classroom. "Extra credit if you can tell me what it means".

"I'll pass".

"It might end up helping you at the end of the semester".

"I'll risk it".

Haley smiled as she reached the front of the classroom turning to face everyone "would anyone else like to venture a guess"?

At first, no one moved, and Haley assumed that this class would be one of those classes—where she would constantly have to randomly call on someone to answer her questions. But, then Madison's hand slowly rose up, and Haley pointed at her.

"If you don't take the opportunity while it's there you might not have it again and—you will go on to regret not taking it," Madison said, though as she spoke, she sounded unsure of her words. "Life is short. Don't waste it".

* * *

"You're impossible" Peyton yelled at her husband. "How many times do I have to apologize"?

"Well, if you had never done it in the first place then there wouldn't be anything to apologize for," Lucas told her. "We made vows".

"Mr. Scott let's try to not place blame," Adam Daulton said, as he watched the husband and wife argue.

"Oh, like you're so perfect" Peyton scoffed ignoring the therapist in front of them.

"I'm not perfect but I don't go sleeping with women who aren't my wife".

"No, but you want to".

"At this point, I would screw a snapping turtle if it meant I got to have sex".

Adam watched, and took extensive notes, he had been working as a marriage therapist for over twenty years. But, had never seen a couple quite like the Scott's—when they walked in they were holding hands but yet couldn't seem to sit next to each other.

Peyton sat with her arms over her torso and her legs crossed, alone on the couch. It was bluntly clear that this session, and what he assumed many after, was not her idea and she certainly didn't want to be here. But, she wanted to fix her marriage more than she didn't want to be here.

Lucas stood behind the couch, pacing, he would move his hands from deep inside his pockets to crossing his arms. Hostile. He was hostile towards his wife, the entire time they had been in the room they had never once had eye contact. But, like his wife he wanted to fix his marriage.

It seemed to be the only thing they shared at the current moment.

"Alright," Adam said after the couple's voices began bouncing off the walls. "Let's try a different approach. Lucas—sit next to your wife, please".

"I prefer to stand".

"That wasn't a question," Adam told him. "You are paying me for my professional help, so sit down next to your wife. It seems you two have a real issue with intimacy—when was the last time you two had sex"?

"Erm," Lucas said sitting down shrugging. "A couple of weeks I think".

"Three and a half," Peyton said immediately. "He had sex with me and then-then he threw my— indiscretions in my face. I knew something was off from the minute he started kissing me".

"Why did you think something was off"?

"Lucas has never been all about PDA with me, he doesn't kiss me in front of Brooke and he was that—".

"Wait, when did Brooke come into this equation"? Lucas asked, taken back by the mention of her name.

"Oh, Luke," Peyton said rolling her eyes. "When has she not"?

"I don't have any clue what you are talking about Peyton".

"Brooke. You still have feelings for her and—".

"This is ridiculous," Lucas said standing throwing his arms in the air. "I have been having this same argument for fifteen years, I don't want to spend another fifteen having it. Why are you so insecure when it comes to Brooke"?

"Who is Brooke"? Adam asked sitting his note pad down as he leaned forward.

"My high school girlfriend," Lucas said.

"My best friend" Peyton said, at the same time her husband spoke.

"I haven't even kissed Brooke in over sixteen years".

"Less than that" Peyton corrected him. "When I said no whenever you purposed—you tried to sleep with her".

"Fine, fourteen—how the hell do you know about that"?

"Brooke, she is my best friend".

"I was drunk, I would have kissed anyone—".

"But, Brooke isn't just anyone," Peyton said between her teeth. "You still love her, you always have Lucas".

"That's absurd".

"Actually," Adam said crossing his legs. "The two times your feelings for this woman have come up you have not only avoided eye contact with your wife but you have also averted answering the question—when someone acts with that sort of behavior generally it does mean it's a question that they don't want to answer. So, I'm going to change this up a little—only yes or no answers, Lucas. Do you love Peyton"?

"Yes".

"Do you think Peyton is a good wife"?

"Yes".

"Do you want to be married to Peyton"?

Lucas didn't move.

"The first answer that comes to your head, don't think about it. Just answer".

"—no".

Lucas didn't look at Peyton but he could feel her sense of pain from across the room.

"Is that because you love someone else"?

"I can—".

"Yes or no answers only Lucas".

"Yes".

"Is that person this Brooke"?

Lucas swallowed the large lump in his throat as he sat back down on the coach "Yes".

"Now, you may explain your answers—sometimes it's better to answer with the first response that pops in your head" Adam explained to them. "It gets down to the real answer, and not to lies or avoidance".

"Brooke—she has always been my soulmate," Lucas told Peyton, without looking at her. "I was never angry with you for cheating on me, I forgive you for that the next day—I forgave you because I don't think I cared. I wanted to—we have been married for ten years and we have a daughter, a beautiful little girl. We promised she would have the one thing that neither of us did—a family. I had my mom and you had your dad but we didn't have a real family. But, now we are a real family—she has what we didn't".

Lucas looked up to find his wife crying, her mascara beginning to run from her tears. He saw the red in her eyes and her puffy cheek, and the guilt overtook him. Lucas felt a tear of his own slide down his cheek.

"I do love you, Peyton," he said taking her hand, that she immediately jerked away.

"Having your suspicions and having them confirmed is two different feelings?" Adam told them. "The question remains—do you two want to still fix your marriage"?

"Yes," Lucas said, almost immediately taking Peyton's hand—this time she let him. "I want to be with you, I married you. I love you. I do want to leave, I will be honest about that. So, please Peyton—give me a reason to stay".

"Lucas, you have finally admitted your feelings for Brooke out loud to your wife and to yourself," Adam said, earning the couple's attention. "But, for you two to move on and put this behind you need to admit your feelings to someone else".

"Brooke," Peyton said.

"Why would I do that—won't that just make things worse".

"No," Adam told him. "For months you have lashed out at your wife for her indiscretions because secretly it was you who was longing to be with someone else. You put her down because you were the one who had feelings for someone else. This can help you move on. For good".

"I just don't think this is something I want to do".

"Because, you're scared she is going to have feelings for you, too," Peyton said. "Or that she doesn't. Either way, you don't want to hear what she has to say".

"One other thing—we are going to try this exercise that I really think will help".

* * *

"You can't see Peyton for three months"? Haley asked Lucas, keeping her voice as she sat in the waiting room with her brother-in-law and husband.

"Ninety days to be exact" Lucas told Haley and Nathan. "The only communication we are allowed to have is about Sawyer—but he suggested that we have someone do the dividing between us so if you don't care—".

"We will do whatever to help," Nathan told his brother before he could finish his sentence.

"Thank you—I thought the idea was completely ridiculous. I'm trying to not get divorced and separating us like this makes me feel like he just tossed us into the fire" Lucas said. "No sex—with each other, anyone else—even ourselves".

"How are you two going to live in a small town—like Tree Hill and not see each other"? Nathan asked.

"If we run into one another we just don't speak, act as though we are strangers because for the next ninety days we are," Lucas said. "Those were the doctor's words, not mine".

"I picked it up on that" Nathan told his brother.

"So, that's why Peyton didn't come today, I explained the circumstances and he told us that this is my family—and we need to distance ourselves from one another's families as much as we can, anyways," Lucas told them. "I explained that we have all been friends since high school and he told us to not cut friends out but thinks like Keith—she needs to be away from, at least for now. It's supposed to clear our minds and help us come to terms with our marriage—in one hundred percent that Jamie bought his weed off this guy".

"Wait—What"? Nathan asked.

Lucas and Haley shared a look, and it had become clear that she hadn't completely filled him in on that part just yet.

"You know—I'm going to go—over there," Lucas said pointing to nowhere in specific before he got up and walked away.

"Okay," Haley said slowly turning towards her husband. "Our son might have smoked weed—it was in his room but I don't know if it was his or not".

"Of course it was his, Hales," Nathan said, scolding his wife. "Why wasn't I told"?

"Well, that's when we were going to do different parenting styles and I was handling it, but then I just kept putting it off".

"Is that why Lucas made a big fuss at the basketball team this morning about drugs"?

"I don't know—more than likely. He did a drug test of the whole body shop but I guess he went through a bad place because everyone's came back inconclusive" Haley told him. "So, I gave him the number to the place we go through at the café".

"We really need to get a handle on that boy," Nathan told his wife.

"He isn't that bad—you even said last week that he has made some major improvements".

"That was before I knew he was smoking weed—it's still illegal here in North Carolina. He had it in our home, we could have faced charges for that" Nathan said. "Drinking and having sex is one thing".

"Who is drinking and having sex"?

"I didn't mean he was having sex," he said backtracking from his previous statement, remembering what his son had confided in him. "But, he is a teenager at some point sex is going to be something he wants to do—it's pretty clear how he feels about," he told Haley watching her face turn beet red. "But, we saw the pictures on his phone from him drinking".

"But, that was weeks ago—and it is still illegal to drink under the age of twenty-one—".

"No, it's illegal to purchase alcohol under the age of twenty-one and its always illegal to drink and drive, big difference," Nathan said and earned a confused look from his wife. "I researched it a lot in high school".

"That you studied"?

Nathan smiles, but briefly. "I can't believe you didn't tell me he was smoking weed"?

"If it helps it wasn't intentional, look where we are, Nathan—we don't exactly live normal lives. I can barely remember to brush my teeth most of the time" Haley spoke up in her defense.

"And you want another baby"? He asked, sarcastically.

"Actually, no" Haley told Nathan, shocking her husband. "I mean I do—but not right now. You're right we have too much going on to get pregnant right now. There are Keith and Jamie and Lydia is still wetting the bed, school just started—maybe now isn't the right time".

"You know I'm neutral either way—we have two healthy kids and we are happily married. I like things the way they are" Nathan told his wife.

"I really wanted a big family—but when I think about getting pregnant and starting all over again—with the way you travel, having to do it by myself a lot. We have two kids who can get themselves ready for school and bed and if I'm tired can even feed themselves" Haley told him. "I think I'm done, too. Jamie will be graduating in three years, it doesn't make sense to have another".

Nathan took his wife's hand, knowing that wasn't an easy decision for her to come to but in a sense, he was relieved about it. He loved being a dad, but he certainly didn't want another baby.

"I love you," Nathan said.

"I love you".

Nathan leaned over and gave his wife a kiss, his lips lightly running over hers.

"Scott" they heard and looked up to see a Doctor.

Haley and Nathan stood up, meeting Lucas at the front of the waiting room.

"Just follow me and we will talk about your uncle".

* * *

Jamie laid on his bed his legs stretched across as his girlfriend sat up next to him with her legs crossed, books scattered over his bed as the two did their homework.

"I can't believe have homework in every class on the first day," Madison said shaking her head as she searched for her math book. "That was a brutal good-bye to summer".

"I don't have homework in English," Jamie said, rolling his eyes as Madison smiled.

"Good," Madison told him. "Then you can help me with mine".

"Or—we could press the pause button on homework for a few minutes" Jamie offered.

Madison looked back at her boyfriend but didn't get the chance to fully see him before his lips crashed into hers. She pushed him on the bed on his back and climbed on top of him straddling Jamie to the bed, hovering above him—being extra careful not to sit directly on him.

They kissed and kissed until Madison pulled back for a brief second before pulling her top up over her head.

"You're trying to kill me aren't you"? Jamie asked as he ran his hands up her smooth body. "Knowing I can't have sex—this is mean".

"I can put it back on if you'd like"?

"Don't you dare".

Madison laughed, lightly before tugging Jamie's shirt up over his body and throwing it to the side. "My boyfriend is so sexy," she said running her manicured nails down his chest.

"I could say the same thing about my girlfriend".

Jamie leaned up as if he was going to kiss Madison before flipping the two over before—earning a delightful squeal from the girl that now found herself beneath her boyfriend. They kissed, each kiss longer and deeper than the last.

Until the door opened and the two immediately jumped apart.

"Oh, my god" Brooke said covering her eyes. "I'm so sorry—I thought—I can't remember what I thought".

Madison quickly pulled her shirt back over her head "it's fine—I was just leaving".

"You don't have to do that" Brooke told her lowering her hands. "Peyton loaned Jamie a CD—she asked me to pick it up".

Madison smiled as she stuffed her books in her bag quickly "I have to stop by the café anyways—love you" she told Jamie kissing him on the cheek and ducking out the door.

"Love you" Jamie called after his girlfriend, who left faster than a tornado.

Brooke looked at Jamie who sat on the edge of his bed looking at her. "I'm so, so, so sorry," she said.

"It's fine," Jamie said. "Apparently my sex life is a public program for the whole family anyways".

"Well, to be fair—I didn't think you would be doing anything since you're not technically supposed to".

"There is nothing wrong with my lips".

Brooke rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her as she stepped further into his rooms. "Jamie—that looked like a whole lot more than kissing. Neither of you two had a shirt on".

"So"? He asked shrugging. "That weekend was supposed to be our first time, and since it didn't happen and we have some—much unwanted, time to spare we have turned the volume up on the make-out sessions".

"Oh," Brooke said, her eyes growing wide as she sat down next to her shirtless godson. "Really? It was going to be your first time? And—then you broke your—"?

"Yes".

"You two must have some rough foreplay".

"Oh, my god, Brooke".

"No it's fine—I'm not judging. I was actually going to ask for some tips" she said shrugging.

Jamie fell back on his bed as if running from Brooke Davis was an option.

"That's not how I broke it," Jamie said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Just ask uncle Luke".

"I will be sure to—now I'm curious" Brooke informed him.

"It amazes me that as much as this whole damn family talks and no one told you how it happened".

"I assumed it was through sex, so I didn't ask—I thought it was your first time and you got a little to carried away and—".

"Oh, my god" Jamie said sitting up straight. "First mom talks about me being breastfed on my first day of school—in front of the entire class and now you think that my first time I just gave it hell? I assure you I won't last that long to get that crazy with it"!

Brooke laughed, and then Jamie laughed—-because she was laughing. And then they just couldn't stop. At least for a few minutes.

"Jamie"?

"Yes"?

"If you plan on playing basketball this season you really need to tell your parents about those tattoos," Brooke said as she looked at Jamies's arm.

Jamie had forgotten he wasn't wearing a shirt when Brooke walked in and immediately seen she was looking at his arm.

"How much trouble do you think I'm going to get in"?

"I'm not Haley—or Nathan, I can't say but as much humiliation as you have gone through the past couple weeks I think your parents seeing that tattoo during your first game and Haley pulling you off the court by your ear—might not help you right now".

"Damn it".

* * *

Peyton walked into red bedroom records slowly, not that she realized how slow she had been walking. It was as if she had been run over by a vehicle, and had to get herself to the hospital. She felt numb, her whole body felt numb, and if her legs weren't moving she would insist that she had been paralyzed.

The blonde kept replaying her marriage therapy with Lucas over and over in her head, she could still hear the "yes" that changed her life forever. She had known it for years, but hearing the words nearly destroyed her.

"Hey," Mia said walking up to Peyton as she finally made it to her desk, laying her purse on top of it. "How did it go"?

"I have three months to decide if I want to work on my marriage or not," Peyton told her. "I really, really don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind. At least not right now".

"Okay," Mia said, as she looked at Peyton who looked utterly destroyed and broken from the inside out—through her voice lacked any emotion at all. "Sophia is here," she said in an attempt to distract her boss. "You said you haven't got a chance to meet her—well her and another artist is here. They are looking through songs right now".

Peyton looked up and saw Chris sitting in the recording room with two different people. A young girl and a man, neither of which could have been too old at all.

"Let's go," Peyton said with a very fake, and very forced smile before the two made their way into the room.

"Hey," Chris said looking up "how did it-" he began but seen his wife shaking her head, vigorously behind Peyton. "Welcome back"? Chris spoke, although he wasn't sure if it was a question for Mia or if he was saying it to Peyton. "This is Peyton Sawyer-Scott, she is the owner of the record label. Peyton this is Sophia and this is Cole—lead singer of Beyond Carolina".

"It's nice to finally meet you," Peyton said as she shook both of the artist's hands.

"Same" Sophia told her. "It's nice to put a face to the name".

"Same" Peyton told her. "Except thanks to both of your highly successful albums I know what you look like—so maybe it's not the same".

"They wouldn't be as successful without Chris" Cole told her.

"We are actually looking for their next song—trying to get a duet going" Chris informed her.

"You two don't write your own songs"? Peyton asked.

"I love to sing," Sophia told her. "But, I never had many talent putting pen to paper, I have tried. It never ends well".

"Same" Cole agreed.

"Okay," Peyton said sitting down next to Chris. "Well, let's hear you two sing together and work from there instead of searching through this rather large folder. Let's work off your vocal range together".

"See? What did I tell you"? Chris said throwing his thumb over his shoulder at Peyton. "Best in the business".

* * *

Brooke shut the door to Nathan and Haley's house and began to walk toward her car—to find Madison waiting next to it.

"Oh," Brooke said, surprised. "I thought you left".

"I did—or I was going to but I wanted to ask you something first—sort of," Madison said, though nervously twirling her black hair. "You're not like a regular mom, though—right? You're like a cool mom"?

"The coolest" Brooke said a simple shrug.

"Does that apply to your godmother status"?

Brooke bit down on her bottom lip before she nodded and said: "I would hope so, why"?

"Well, it's just that—what you walked in up there—that's new" Madison explained to her. "I mean I have never done that before—just took my shirt off. I mean have but that was before—when I thought we were going to have sex but then we didn't. I have never let Jamie see me in anything except a bathing suit until recently, it's just that—well—".

"Okay, Stop," Brooke said holding her hand, unable to keep up with the words that were spilling out of Madison's mouth. "You don't have to explain yourself if that's what this is about"?

"It's not, I just—I was wondering if I could get your advice on that. Sex, I mean".

Brooke put her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath and shook her head as she asked "what am I? The post-it man for horny teenagers"? But, after asking if—she held her hand up "I think it's best I don't know the answer to that, what do you need advice on"?

Madison sat down at the picnic table next to Brooke's car and cautiously ran her hands up and down her legs. "After Jamie's—incident, I told him we would take it slow because I got nervous before we had sex, and I think he did, too".

"Everyone gets nervous before their first time".

"Did you"?

Brooke tried to remember back, but couldn't exactly recall her first time. She assumed there was some sort of liquor involved. "This isn't about me," Brooke said as she leaned against her car.

"This is about you, and Jamie and nerves are normal when you're about to go through this life-changing experience".

"I know, but it was more than that" Madison explained, then chuckled nervously before saying "I have never seen a naked man, I have never even changed a baby boys diaper—the most I know is from the health class books—and that's just the anatomy".

When Madison spoke, she spoke barely above a whisper so at first, Brooke wasn't certain she wasn't sure she heard her correctly. But, the more she spoke, the more Brooke realized she had indeed heard her. And she was more certain that her eyes were so wide they were popping out of her head because frankly, the teenager was looking at her odd.

"Never"? Brooke asked, her voice hoarse, although she wasn't sure why.

"No".

"You basically have no idea what you're working with down there"? Brooke asked, still in shock, as Madison shook her heads. "Wow," Brooke said suddenly grinning. "It's like finding a unicorn".

"Brooke" Madison whined.

"I'm sorry," Brooke told her. "No, that's a lie. I'm not but I can help you".

"I told him that we could take things slow over the next couple weeks and work up to that but to be honest I don't even know what that means. Or what to do. What if I see it and I cry"?

Brooke bit down, hard, on her bottom lip as she fought to keep herself composed. "Alright," she said. "For the next couple minutes, we are going to pretend that Jamie is not my godson because what I have to say is not appropriate godmother material. I don't want any questions either. Are we clear"?

Madison nodded.

"I don't know if Jamie knows this or not, but I had sex with Nathan in high school".

"You had sex with Nathan—"?

"I said no questions," Brooke told Madison pointing at her. "But, I promise you if he took after his father, or his uncle—you will not be crying," she said as she sat next to the teenager. "Scott's are good at three things basketball, drinking, and sex. If there was a Nobel Prize in sex—they would win it every year".

Madison couldn't help but smile at Brooke's comment, for two reasons. One it was funny, and two it sounded like she was going to be in good hands.

"Don't take this the wrong way, I love my husband so much" Brooke told Madison. "But, Lucas—there was no comparison in the bedroom. He used to turn me on with just his words".

Madison chuckled, "so sex is fun right"?

"I think, it's been so long I forget," Brooke told her. "But, I can help you with the naked nervous problem. Julian, he was a film producer, director, and even ran his own television show until he passed, but because of his job, he traveled a lot. So, when he would work away—I would take pictures and text them to him".

"Pictures"?

"Yeah, very—very sexy pictures and he would send some in return," Brooke said. "Maybe start there. When you get home to take a shower—there is something that men just find sexy about a girl who just got out of the shower with her hair wet, then put on something sexy. It could be lingerie or even one of Jamie's t-shirts, guys love it when you're in their clothes then take a sexy picture. If you're in nothing but his shirt trust me—he will go nuts, pun intended".

Madison giggled but then asked "That's it? Just take a picture"?

"Yes, that's all it will take to open the door. Trust me".

"Okay, thank you-you won't tell Haley about this will you"?

"God, no" Brooke told her. "I can't leave my children as orphans".

* * *

Haley pulled the roast out of the oven and set it down in the middle of the table, she looked at her perfectly set dinner table.

"Damn," Nathan said as he stepped into his dining room. "It looks like a Martha Stewart catalog in here".

"The fact that you know that is both freighting and pleasant," Lucas said as he carried a bowl of mash potatoes to the table. "Did you read the article about the DIY origami's for your plants"?

"I did," Nathan told him. "I think it will spruce this place up around Thanksgiving, I have found that crafts are quite calming and I rather enjoy them".

"I wish I were the same way, I just sometimes don't have the patience to sit down and work on them. I would love to be one of those Pinterest dads—".

"I feel like I'm in the twilight zone," Brooke said, as she crossed her arms. "This coming from the two men behind the madness of midnight madness".

"Speaking of that I had an idea—" Lucas said pointing at Nathan.

"Oh, my god" Haley said shaking her head. "Brooke, can you help me in the kitchen"?

"Do you need help with wine"? Brooke asked as she followed Haley.

"No," Haley told her laughing.

"But, that's the only thing I'm good at in the kitchen".

"This is for Peyton," Haley told Brooke with a giant smile on her face from her friend's comment, that immediately dropped after the mention of her absentee friend. "I made her a plate, I was hoping you could take it to her when you leave"?

"Of course," Brooke said nodding.

"Thank you, I'm going to put it in the oven—just grab it when you leave—now grab a bottle".

Brooke smiled as she grabbed two bottles of wine before looking up to find Haley's eyes burning through her. "One for each hand," Brooke said, grinning before skipping away to the dining room.

Lucas and Nathan stood by the table, talking—Brooke chose not to eavesdrop after their previous conversation as she poured wine in the glasses.

"Not that one" Haley said as she walked back into the dining room. "That's Jamie's glass".

"Oh, oops," Brooke said looking down at the full glass before lifting the glass to her lips and gulping the red liquid in seconds. "There you go," she told Haley, as she sat the glass back down.

Lucas and Nathan both laughed, as Haley—smiling, said: "after finding the sex tape of you and my husband, you would think I would stop being so surprised by some of the things you do—I don't".

"Wait—What sex tape"? They heard and found Jamie standing in the doorway, looking mortified—a look that everyone assumed had become his permanent expression. "You slept with dad"?

"Erm—sort of"?

"And they recorded it," Haley told her son, earning an even more disgusted look from her child.

"Did all of you just bounce dad and Luke around like volleyballs I'm high school"?

"Don't include me in this" Haley told her son.

Jamie looked up at Brooke who continued pouring wine and said: "I plead the fifth".

Haley rolled her eyes before turning to Jamie and asking "have you washed up for dinner"?

"I was just going to eat in my room".

"No," Haley said firmly pointing her finger at her son. "Once a week we are all eating together, non-negotiable".

"What are we the Reagan's"?

"Well, your name is Jamie," Lucas said, referring to his favorite drama series. "It seems fitting".

"Luke coaches my team, dad coaches Maddie's—which she is thrilled about but you're not her dad, and mom teaches my English class. You all are like a roach infestation in my school, next thing I know Brooke will the principal and Peyton will be the music teacher. Do we really need to sit down to dinner together, too"? Jamie ranted putting his hands on his hips.

"Go wash your hands," Haley said pointing towards the kitchen.

"What about the kids"?

"They are all eating at the kiddie table watching Disney channel," Nathan told his son. "Would you like to watch the latest animated hit"?

"Yes".

"Go wash your hands, now" Haley ordered her son.

Jamie groaned but walked towards the kitchen leaving the adults—smiling.

"You know who he reminds me of"? Brooke asked.

"Don't say it?" Haley told her.

"He acts just like Nathan did," Lucas said because Brooke was just itching to.

"Yes," Brooke agreed, with a way to much enthusiasm.

"I was not that bad" Nathan defended himself.

"You're right," Lucas said shrugging. "Until Haley got a hold of you, you were worse".

"Much worse," Brooke told him.

"When will Peyton be here"? Jamie asked, unaware of the conversation that had been taking place, as he rejoined his family in the dining room.

"She won't—it's a long story," Lucas told his nephew. "It's not exactly dinner time conversation".

"Alrighty," Jamie said.

Nathan and Haley sat down on either end of the table as Lucas sat down across from Brooke and Jamie, unable to ignore the empty seat next to him that had been intended for his wife.

"So, do we pray now"? Jamie asked as he sat back in his seat with a wide grin, arms folded.

"You're going to be praying if you don't shut up" Brooke whispered in his ear. "I'd hate to let it slip about that tattoo of yours".

Jamie's smile dropped as he sat up and forward "because I don't care to say the prayer" he told them.

Lucas chuckled silently to himself, as Haley and Nathan looked at their son confused.

"Do you even know how to pray"? Lucas asked his nephew.

"Does the man upstairs take text messages"?

"Just eat," Haley told her son passing a bowl around the table.

They each filled their plate with food and quickly began eating.

"How did the meeting with the doctor go"? Brooke asks as she sipped on her wine.

"What Doctor"? Jamie asked.

It suddenly occurred to Brooke, that maybe his parents hadn't informed him of his great uncle's condition.

"Well," Haley said nervously, looking at Nathan who was looking at Lucas.

"Keith is alive," Lucas said, without thinking about it. "Don't ask, we don't know any more than that. We don't know how all we know is he needs surgery. He is in a coma".

"Lily's dad—why didn't she tell me"?

"Well, because—she doesn't know and I want it to remain that way," Lucas told his nephew sternly, which was not a tone he had used to often with the sixteen-year-old. "I will tell her when I have more answers, I know you two are close but I am asking you to let me handle this. I still have questions and until I have those answers my sixteen-year-old sister is not to know about this. Okay"?

"Yeah—I won't tell her. I promise, but she could have used that news today. She had a pretty awful day".

"What do you mean"?

"She walked in the spot her dad was killed—shot, for the first time uncle Luke. Andre, Chuck, Maddie, and I had to walk with her class to class, her locker is right across from that spot. I went with her to the principal's office to get it switched, which he willingly is doing".

"Oh," Lucas said.

Lucas became painfully aware of how he felt the first time he walked into the school after the shooting, he remembered the pain that came with that. The heart crumbling pain.

"Mom gets back in two weeks, we will get more answers then," Nathan told Lucas.

"Nanny Deb"? Jamie asked. "What does she have to do with it"?

"That's what we are going to ask her" Nathan informed his son. "Back to the meeting with the doctor, I think it went alright".

"It did" Lucas agreed with his brother. "He seemed confident he could perform the surgery, he just can't promise us the outcome we want. He said it's the brain, he can't one hundred percent promise us that he will wake up".

"Are you still going to do the surgery"? Brooke asked.

"Luke and I talked and I think we are," Nathan said.

"Keith would never want to be lying in some hospital bed, withering away. He is a fighter, always has been. He scheduled the surgery for the end of September" Lucas said.

"That's a month away," Brooke said. "Why would he schedule it a month away"?

"I asked the same thing," Haley told her. "But, he just got back from vacation, that's why it took him a week to get back to us. But, he is booked with surgeries—there are a couple of other doctors who can do it but they have never done it solo and he has—for years. I told Nathan and Lucas, it's best to stick with experience".

"Good call" Brooke told her.

"Yeah, they will be transferring him to Tree Hill on Thursday. That's another reason why he won't be having surgery for a month" Haley said. "He needs to observe him and give him certain medicine for a significant amount of time before they can do it. So, he will be closer".

"Can we go see him"? Jamie asked, looking at his dad.

"Absolutely," Nathan told his son. "Just remember let Luke tell Lily, that's not your place".

"I already said I wouldn't," Jamie said, aggravated by his dad's response. "Do you have to get on my back about every little—".

"You're still a part of everything I do. You're on my heart just like a tattoo" Brooke sang, quite a bit off key as she did, as she cut her roast. "Just like a tattoo", she continued to sing, looking at Jamie before taking a bite of her food.

"I'll always have you. I'll always have you. I'll always have you" Lucas joined in singing with Brooke.

Unaware that his parents knew about his dirty little secret, he looked back and forth between Lucas and Brooke—who continued to sing.

"What I meant," Jamie said, as he looked at his dad, running his fingers through his hair. "I mean—of course, I won't tell Lily, I would just like to go see him, is all".

Nathan, fighting his laughter, nodded.

"I'll go get the desert," Jamie said, as he got up and left the room.

Haley and Nathan both laughed, as he walked out of sight.

"Brooke," Haley said. "You know we know about his tattoo, right"?

"You know"? Brooke asked, shocked. "You told Luke and me about but—ow".

Lucas swung his foot kicking Brooke in the ankle before she could finish her sentence.

"But, he doesn't know that," Lucas said before the two could ask any other questions.

"We just want him to tell us," Nathan told Brooke. "And if he has to wear long sleeves in eighty-degree weather, so be it. He will tell us when he is ready, he has to if he wants to play basketball".

"Nathan, come to the kitchen with me to help me get the kid's deserts ready," Haley told her husband.

The two got up and left the room.

"What the hell was that for"? Brooke asked as she bent down rubbing her shin.

"They know about the tattoo on his back, not the one on his arm" Lucas informed her.

"So, you felt the need to kick me"?

"The only other thing that would have shut you up is a sale on Prada".

Truer words had never been spoken.

"That was blackmail, in the highest form," Jamie said as he walked back into the dining room.

"Who you going to tell"? Brooke asked, smiling. "Your parents"? She questioned, knowing the answer. "Before you sit down—fetch auntie some more wine".

If Jamie could be anywhere else, it doesn't matter where he would be there.

But, he wasn't. So, he picked the open bottle of wine up and went to hand it to Brooke but instead she held her glass out for him, still smiling. The teenager rolled his eyes but proceeded to pour her glass full.

"That's so sweet," Haley said as she walked back into the room with ice cream, as her husband carried a chocolate cake. "Do you care to fill us all up"?

"He would love, too," Brooke told her. "Isn't that right, snoop dog"?

Jamie felt his head drop, but just smiled—forcibly, before pouring wine for the rest of his family, and sat down back down next to Brooke, who was grinning at him.

"How was your first day"? Lucas asked as he began digging into his cake.

Haley chuckled, as her son shot daggers at her with his eyes. "Did she put you up to that"? Jamie asked.

"No," Lucas said, honestly, but now he was curious. "It was a genuine question you ask teenagers at dinner, what did I miss"?

"My mother announced to the whole class that I was breastfed, that's what you missed"!

The table roared—all of which came from everyone except Jamie.

"She could have told them about your broken penis," Nathan said. "Would you have preferred that"?

"Is it national pick up on Jamie day"? He asked looking at his father.

"No, but you have to admit—it's great material".

Jamie felt his phone buzz in his pocket and ignored his father as he reached down picking it up.

When he looked at his phone he saw Madison, standing in front of a mirror with nothing but an old t-shirt, that he was sure belonged to him at one point.

Jamie, shocked by the sexy picture he just received, jumped—dropping his phone between him and his father's feet.

Nathan reached down and picked the phone up—catching more than a glance at the picture, laid the phone on the table—face down, and slid it over to his son, who was blood red in the face.

"Life is so kind," Lucas said, causing Nathan to snicker.

"What"? Haley asked.

"Nothing," Nathan told his wife. "Just giving Jamie a lecture about using his phone at the table, I think he has learned his lesson. Haven't you"?

"Yes," Jamie groaned. "Can I Please to god be excused"?

"Sure," Haley said. "As long as you're done eating".

"I am".

Jamie jumped up, darting out of the room and heading towards his bedroom.

* * *

Madison paced back and forth in her bedroom, as she watched her phone—that lay flat in the middle of her bed. For the moment, she hated Brooke Davis—her stomach was in knots!

What was she thinking?

Did she really send him that picture?

Madison sat down on her bed before picking her phone up. "Oh, my god—he has seen it," she said tossing her phone back over her shoulder, not really caring if she broke it or not.

This was Jamie, she had spent her whole life with him and never once got nerves or felt nervous about anything. Madison sent him one picture and was ready to have her phone shut off.

She couldn't feel worse than this, there was no way.

Madison stood corrected, when she heard her phone ring and saw Jamie's face flash on her screen she was sure she was going to pass out.

Slowly she picked the phone up, took a long deep breath, and answered "hello"?

"Are you trying to kill me or something"?

"What"?

"That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen".

Madison felt a giant relief fall off her chest before responding "really"?

"Is that my shirt"?

"Yeah," she said. "I borrowed it and forgot to give it back after the championship—".

"Keep it, it looks better on you anyways".

* * *

Haley and Nathan hit the bed, kissing, he ran his lips over hers and down her neck. She quickly tore his shirt over his head, unable to wait too much longer to see her husband naked. The two kissed and tore each other's clothes off, it wasn't until the last moment that Haley remembered they were no longer trying for another baby.

"Condom"? Haley asked breaking their kiss for a minute, unwillingly. "You said you would pick some up".

"I did," Nathan told her. "They are in the bathroom".

"Well, that's a good place for them".

Nathan moaned as he stood up slipping back into his boxers, before sneaking through his hallway—tiptoeing, so not to wake the many children that festered through his home. Once he reached his bathroom he burst through the door like the kool-aid man, only to find that there was someone behind the door.

"Jamie," Nathan said standing up straight, as he saw his son brushing his teeth—fresh out of the shower he would assume by his wet hair as he stood in a pair of Athletic shorts and an oversized hoodie. "Erm—hi".

Nathan grabbed a box of tissues, which he found ironic, to hold in front of himself as he stood in nothing but boxers in front of his son.

And not under the best circumstances.

"This family really needs a lesson on door knocking," Jamie said, as he continued to brush his teeth.

"Well, this is awkward," Nathan said, half smiling, as he scratched the back of his head. "Could you reach into that bottom drawer over there—and hand me a condom".

Jamie dropped his toothbrush out of his mouth as he looked at his dad, once again mortified.

Jamie-0

Mortification- 2,000

"Oh, Christ dad," Jamie said covering his eyes.

Jamie had seen his dad in his underwear more than a handful of times, but never in Nathan's condition.

"Well, I would get it myself but I would have to scoot past you—and I kinda have an alfresco situation going on here".

"Oh, my god" Jamie said covering his face again. "This can't be happening to me".

"And yet it is".

Jamie reached down into the drawer and pulled a condom out—before handing it to his father—without looking, which he felt was important to point out.

"I bought you and mom we're trying to have another baby"?

"Not anymore," Nathan said smiling.

The father turned to walk away, looking at the condom in his hand—but didn't. Instead, he rotated back towards his son, who had begun brushing his teeth once more.

"You know—Jamie, if you ever need one I always keep them in that drawer, if you ever needed one," Nathan told Jamie. "A condom," he said as if he needed to clear that up.

"You know dad, I think I can buy my own condoms. Thanks though".

"I know but if something ever happened—just know they are there. I want you to be—safe".

"It's eleven o'clock at night—I have a broken penis, mom told the whole class that I was breastfed, you saw Maddie half naked, and now you want to talk about being safe"?

"Fair point," Nathan said shrugging. "But, Seriously—you know how to put this on, right"?

"If you have a missing beer in the morning don't be surprised".

* * *

"P. Scott" Brooke said as she unlocked the door to her house stepping inside. "I'm back, Sawyer went home with Lucas while the twins stayed with Nathan and Haley. I swear she insisted, they passed out before the end of the movie, and I personally was not going to argue. I think Logan told Davis a scary story when they went on that trip with Quinn and Clay—he keeps me up all night kicking" she spoke out loud as she walked through her house. "Haley sent you some food and I stole a bottle of wine since we are kid-free—okay, so I stole two if they ask me what happened to it I will blame Jamie. Damn teenagers".

Brooke sat the plate Haley had sent down on the counter and found the house relatively silent. At first, she thought maybe Peyton hadn't made it back just yet, that was until she heard the sound—the sound that broke her heart.

Brooke rushed to the bathroom where she found Peyton sitting on the floor, crying, it was obvious that she had been there for hours. Maybe more.

"Peyton" Brooke said sitting down next to her.

"My marriage—it's over isn't it"?

"Your ninety days are just starting—you have to give it a chance before you write the whole marriage off, Peyton".

"Brooke—I feel it deep in my bones, it's over".

"Don't say that-".

"He loves someone else. It's over. No amount of time is going to change that".

"Luke doesn't love anyone else—".

"He admitted it to me, Brooke. He told me today—in therapy. I can't—".

Brooke wanted to ask who, but she didn't.

Instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend, who continued to cry. Peyton was broken, her heart had been shattered by the person who held it together all these years.

"You said there was wine, right"? Peyton asked, between sniffles.

"Yes".

* * *

_I'm sorry I don't understand  
Where all of this is coming from  
I thought that we were fine (Oh we had everything)  
Your head is running wild again  
My dear we still have everythin'  
And it's all in your mind (Yeah but this is happenin')  
You've been havin' real bad dreams oh oh  
You used to lie so close to me oh oh  
There's nothing more than empty sheets between our love, our love  
Oh our love, our love_

_Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough  
Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again  
I never stop, you're still written in the scars on my heart  
You're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again_

* * *

A/**_N Longest Chapter, yet! _**

**_ I am so thrilled with the great reviews this story has had. I'm going to try and answer a few questions, explain, some things that might have been confusing. _**

**_ First things first, the kids. Sawyer, Davis, and Jude at the start of the story were with Brooke's parents. Ted and Victoria. I covered a couple days, but then there was a time jump between chapters 4 and five I believe. About two weeks or so. During the time that I did not cover the kids returned but then went for a weekend trip with Quinn and Clay— it's just like television shows when there is kids, I just came up with something to explain their absence so that I could carry-on with that storyline. If they was there I wouldn't have been able to go forward with my storyline. And that was vital for Peyton and Haley._**

**_It Will be frequent that there is a week or so time jump between chapters from now on I will clarify it above under my disclaimer, like I did for this chapter. _**

**_ As for Peyton, no she has not discussed this with Brooke, like she has with Lucas. That is a conversation that will happen between Brooke and Lucas, i'm not sure what chapter that will fall under but it will happen._**

**_Another thing about Peyton, she has a storyline and has not been included as much as the other characters in each chapter. Getting her storyline up and going is taking time, but for Peyton fans she does have a key storyline it's just taking a while to tell. Because, there are other things that have to take place first. _**

**_ Every so often I am going to try and have chapters like this that involves a family dinner, Thanksgiving episode is on my top 10 so having them together like that is my favorite._**

**_Jamie what is in this chapter a little more than normal, but I was trying to show the presences the adults have in his life. At home and at school. _**

**_ I hope you all enjoyed This chapter, I have had a few reviews commenting On how the teenagers interact with the adults, and how it feels like the Early tree hill. That is my goal, first four seasons always be my favorite! _**

**_Not that I don't enjoy that last comment but they are really the best to me. So, I'm glad that it is perceived. _**

**_Thanks again for reading!_**

**_And sorry for my incredibly long Author's notes all the time, I try to always respond to my readers and many people are guests so I can't send emails or direct messages or anything but I definitely want to reach out. Answer questions. So, thank you to everyone and I hope I answered all your questions._**


	8. Deb, divorce, & dry humping

_**Disclaimer: I don't own rights to anything besides the storylines, and I don't claim any rights to anything. **_

_**Triggers: Talk of teenage sex, and different types of sex, father son disputes, and anything else in my previous chapters.**_

_**Time jump (around two weeks) **_

* * *

"Nathan" Deb exclaimed, excited by the very sight of her son waiting for her. "This is a surprise! What are you doing here"?

"I thought I would come to pick you up," Nathan told his mother, disturbingly nonchalantly, as he took her bags out of her hands. "How was your cruise"?

"It was wonderful, a sea full of men," Deb said grinning ear to ear. "Full of sea-men, if you will".

"God," Nathan said, as he fought the urge to throw up. "That's disgusting".

Deb jokingly slapped her son's arm as he led them towards parking, scanning for his car—which he had forgotten where he had left it in the large lot.

"So, tell me—what did I miss"? Deb asked, grinning.

Nathan chuckled, "a lot," he told her honestly. "But, I'm sure you already know about most of it—Jamie broke his penis and Peyton cheated on Lucas. But—".

"Whoa"! Deb said, taken back. "Peyton slept with another man"?

"That's the part that shocked you? What about your grandson"?

"He is a Scott—you Scott men tend to get into trouble with that particular area, although I think on some weird level your father would have been proud".

"He didn't do it having sex, mom".

Deb stopped and turned to face her son—if eye rolling was a facial expression she had it.

"No, really" Nathan defended his son. "And I believe him, it's not like he has ever kept some life-changing lie from me. He is a teenager, he has an attitude but he is pretty honest about things, had to get that from the James in him—couldn't have been from the Lee or the Scott side".

Dev tilted her head, confused—unable to figure out where her son's current attitude came from. "What have I missed? What did I do now"?

"Oh, you'll find out," Nathan told her, confidently. "Let's go".

"Nathan, just tell me, it's seven in the morning—I have no idea what you're going on about".

"Just come on".

Not like she had a choice, he had her bags—one of which had her phone and money in. Instead of protesting, like the mother and grandmother desperately wanted to she followed her son passing the many vehicles that sat in the parking lot. After the long walk—five minutes was a long walk when you were in your early fifties, not that Deb would ever admit her age to anyone.

Although, Nathan had his suspicions of her age.

Deb kept her head down until she heard a light car horn—when she looked up Nathan had his keys pointed at his vehicle.

"Shotgun"? Nathan asked as they walked closer to his dark SUV. "Or would you prefer to ride in the trunk"?

Deb rolled her eyes, utterly ignoring her son as he tossed her bags into the backseat as she climbed in on the passenger side, pulling her seat belt down around her. At this moment, with Nathan acting like he was, she wasn't taking any chances.

"Now, are you going to tell me what this is about"? Deb asked, as Nathan climbed in on the driver's side and started up Engine.

"Trust me mom—you will find out soon enough" he replied, as he began to drive. "And when you do—you better have a damn good excuse, or you're going to jail".

"Jail"? Deb asked, whipping around to look at her son. "Now, just what in the hell are you talking about? Jail? I have been clean for years I am a good mother and grandmother—I go on one little cruise to get away, to have some hot random sex and—".

"This has nothing to do with your cruise mom, just put your fake face on—the one you wore the entire time you were married to Dad".

Deb had enough.

"What does this have to do with Dan"?

"Oh, I'm just finally starting to realize that maybe you two were meant for each other".

"Pull the car over—right now" Deb ordered her son.

"Oh, we are here".

Deb watched as her son parked the car, outside of the hospital in Tree Hill. He got out and walked around his car, before pulling his mother out of the passenger side, and storming inside.

"Nathan, would you please let go of my arm"? Deb asked.

As they waited for the elevator, he didn't answer her—he also didn't let go, which Deb assumed was her answer. She tried to pull her arm free, with no luck.

Nathan wasn't going to let go of her arm, at the risk of her running off. Which he was certain is what she wanted to do, he was of course right. So, he didn't let go as they waited for the elevator, he didn't let go as they went up four floors on the elevator, and he didn't let go as they walked the halls—the halls he had become so acquainted with in the past two weeks.

"Here we are," Nathan said as he pushed open the door to a patients room.

"Nathan, what on earth is going on"? Deb demanded once more as they stepped inside, Nathan shutting the door behind him.

"You tell me," he said pointing to the bed.

More confused than ever, but more curious than ever, Deb turned around.

"Keith"?

Deb looked down on to the man she once shared a last name with, the good brother. The room around her quickly spun and she felt her whole body go limp, she wasn't sure what the loud noise as—it was her.

"Oh, my god" Nathan said running to his mom, who laid sprawled out on the floor unconscious. "Mom," he said lifting her up. "Can we get someone in here"? He yelled, hoping and praying a nurse would hear him. "Help"!

* * *

"Have you spoken with, Brooke"? Adam asked as he sat alone with Lucas who was across from him, relaxed back into the sofa with his fingers interlaced over his knee.

"I speak to Brooke pretty much every day—".

"Have you told her about the feelings you have for her"?

By not answering Adam, Lucas he told his moody therapist all he needed to know. The two had known each other for a couple of weeks, and in six sessions they have had—one with Peyton and his five solo sessions, they both had come to realize they would never quite see eye to eye.

"Lucas—".

"I'm here for you to help me with my marriage to Peyton, I don't see how telling another woman that I love her is going to help my marriage at all" Lucas told him.

"Have you spoken to Peyton"?

Lucas shook his head, "no" he responded. "That was your prescription, remember"?

"I also advised you to work through your feelings with Brooke" Adam reminded him. "You and Peyton each have your individual sessions, weekly. But, this won't work until you are one hundred percent committed to this until you confront your feelings about Brooke. If you don't confront them then you may never be able to move past them".

"And what happens if I can't move past them"? Lucas asked. "Then what? Is my marriage over"?

"That's why you're here at seven thirty in the morning".

* * *

Haley turned the knob on the washer and watched as water filled the machine, soaking her eight-year-old daughters Disney themed sheets before shutting the lid. She glanced at the clock as she made her way from the laundry room to the kitchen, confirming her theory that once again she was running late.

But, this particular morning that didn't seem to be her main concern.

"Are you almost done eating"? Haley asked Lydia as she walked up to the counter, where the eight-year-old was piling food into her mouth.

"Yeah," Lydia said, nodding, with a giant smile—showing evidence of the eggs she had been consuming.

"Don't talk with your mouth full?" Haley told her daughter as she poured her glass full of orange juice.

Lydia swallowed "sorry, mama".

Mama.

It was a name both her kids had called at her some point, she remembered all the times Jamie called her that—now she was lucky to even get a "mom" out of him. She could remember Jamie at Lydia's age so well, it was probably one of her favorite ages with him but found her daughter to be much more difficult.

"Lydia". Haley said catching her daughters attention as she turned her orange juice up and poured it down her throat. "Do you have had dreams"?

Lydia shook her head. "I don't really dream. But, Jules does—she tosses and turns all night. She is always keeping me awake".

"Right, Jules," Haley said, biting the inside of her cheek. "If she keeps you up all night—when you have to go to the bathroom why don't you get up and go"?

"I'm not sure," Lydia said shrugging. "I guess I just forget".

Before Haley had the opportunity to ask her daughter another question, one of the many that was floating around in her head she heard her cell phone ring. Haley pulled the phone out of her pocket and seen her husband's picture flashing on the screen.

"Finish your breakfast and go finish getting ready" Haley told her daughter before answering her cell phone with a simple "hello" as she stepped into the other room.

"You sound like you're having a morning like mine" she heard Nathan say through the speaker.

"Lydia—she wet the bed".

"Jeez. That's—"

"Seventeen nights in a row".

"Hales, between the bed wetting and Julia—".

"Jules".

"Whatever" Nathan told his wife. "Bedwetting and imaginary friends just aren't normal for her age".

"I know," Haley said as leaned against the wall. "She did well for a few weeks so I canceled her appointment with the psychiatrist but I'm starting to think I'm going to need to reschedule. I wash her sheets every morning—it's become just as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth".

"What if—What If we got her some pull-ups to wear to bed until we figure out what's going on"?

Haley couldn't see her husband, but she could hear the hesitation in his voice. She knew he didn't want to ask it any more than she wanted to hear it, but the parents of Lydia Bob was quickly running out of options.

"Do—do they even sell them in her size"?

"I can look on my way home tonight—if they don't I can pick her up a small pair of grown-up diapers. The kind they use when someone is much older and they can't go to the bathroom normally or—".

"I know what they are for Nathan" Haley snapped as she sat down on the bench in the hallway. "This is a nightmare".

"I'm just trying to help".

"I know—I'm sorry. It's not your fault, you're right. We are out of options. I just feel like I'm such a terrible mom".

"Hales—you're the best mom! This will get resolved one way or the other, I promise".

"Speaking of moms," Haley said, running her fingers through her hair feeling the tension begin to set in through her shoulders. "How much longer until your mom gets there"?

"She already has" Nathan informed his wife. "We are at the hospital now, actually".

"Oh," Haley said, sounding less like a woman and more like a mouse by the noise that escaped from her lips. "It was so quiet I thought you were still in the car".

"I wish, no I'm in a hospital room and not Keith's.

Mom has been admitted".

"Wait—What the hell do you mean she has been admitted? To the psych ward"?

"Don't tempt me" Nathan said. "She saw Keith and hit the floor—well she hit Keith's bed first but she passed out. She has a nasty bump that the doctors wanted to look at from the fall but when she woke up she started hyperventilating and having a full blown anxiety attack so they sedated her".

"Leave this to Deb to make it about her".

"It's just another Manic Monday".

"It's Tuesday, Nathan," Haley said, smiling.

"Whatever the day is—I need a beer".

* * *

Gretchen held two to-go cups in her hand, one being decaf, although she couldn't be sure which one was which at this precise moment. She paced out in the schoolyard, near the front exit—it was the only place her son couldn't avoid her, no matter how badly he wanted to.

"Mom"?

Gretchen looked up to see Chuck, standing barely five feet from her with his bag over his shoulder staring at her—as though he had seen a ghost.

"What are you doing here"? Chuck asked, stuffing a hand in his pocket—looking around at everything but his mom.

"Well, I haven't seen my son in a few weeks so I thought—"

"You would just show up at my school? That's what you thought you would do? You thought this was this best idea"? Chuck scolded his mother.

"I'm still your mom and I deserve a little respect, Charles".

"Mother? Respect? Do you know how ridiculous you sound"? Chuck asked her. "I didn't have a mom my entire life, I was always the adult—cleaning up your mess. Do you know what it's like not being able to invite people over because your mom is laid up with a six-day hangover—".

"I'm not that person anymore—I haven't been that person in a long time".

"Really? It feels just like yesterday to me".

Gretchen didn't realize it was possible to feel beat down by a teenager, but she did. Instead of questioning anything else, she reached her arm out.

"Here," Gretchen told Chuck. "I got your favorite it's—".

"Mom, I don't mean this to come out in the wrong way but why are you fat"?

Gretchen looked up to find Chuck looking down at her stomach, that had recently started to poke out. When she reached her arm out the cardigan she was wearing fell from her stomach to her sides, revealing her baby bump for her son to visibly see, and he knew. She knew he knew. He was just waiting for her to say it.

"Chuck I'm—".

"You're unbelievable," Chuck said, snatching the coffee cup out of her hand. "Is it Chase's"?

"Of course he is—what do you take me for"?

"I honestly don't know what to think when it comes to you anymore, mom" Chuck snarled at her. "He"?

"A little boy, yes. You're going to have a little brother—".

"You're that far along, that you know the sex and I'm just now finding out"?

"Hey".

The two turned to see Lily walking up with a smile on her face.

"Is this your mom—I'm Lily Scott—".

"Let's go," Chuck said.

He took Lily by the hand she had extended to shake his mom's hand and pulled her with him towards the school.

Confused Lily looked back at his moms and waved politely "it was nice to meet you".

The two disappeared into the school leaving Gretchen outside, Lily shot a few sympathetic glances over her shoulder at Chuck's mom but continued to walk hand in hand with Chuck until they reached the lockers.

"She is pregnant".

"That's so cool," Lily told him, smiling.

"It would have been even cooler if she had told me".

"Well, you two haven't been speaking—"

"She already knows what she is having, she knew long before we quit talking—she has lied to me for God knows how long about their relationship if that's what it is—".

"Like you're doing with ours to Jamie"?

Chuck felt his entire body stiffen up, if Lily didn't see his chest moving indicating he was still breathing, she would be certain that he had become a statue.

"We—are we," Chuck said nervously scratching the back of his head before finally blurting out "we are in a relationship"?

"You screw me, you claim me—those are the rules" Lily instructed him with a large ear to ear grin.

Chuck smiled "I just thought—".

"That you would sleep with me and be friends with benefits or something. If that's what you think then—".

Before she could go to walk away Chuck kissed her.

"I thought you were so far out of my league I would never have a chance".

Lily couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll tell Jamie by last period. I swear".

* * *

Brooke held her coffee mug in her hand as she stood in her kitchen, looking out the window, as she felt the warm sensation from her cup run through her fingers. She watched as wave after wave crashed in the ocean outside of her home, smiling, as the cool morning September breeze blew perfectly through her window.

"Why am I always late"?!

Brooke turned around at the sound of her frantic friend, and found Peyton running through the hall—one shoe on, one shoe off, a pencil skirt hugging her waist, but only wore a bra on her upper body, and only her make up had been done while her hair still looked as though it had yet to be brushed.

"You missed Lucas," Brooke said as she turned around watching Peyton begin tearing the living room apart, piece by piece. "He picked Sawyer and the boys up, dropped them off at Haley and Nathan's. He said he had an early session this morning with that Quack you two are seeing".

"He isn't a Quack, Dr. Daulton is a very well respected and highly intelligent-".

"Idiot".

Peyton rolled her eyes as she pulled the cushions off of the love seat "I can't see Lucas anyways—remember"?

"This isn't a tragic scene in If I stay, Peyton," Brooke said as she continued to watch her roommate trash the living room, worse than all three of their children could ever dream of doing. "You two are choosing not to see each other, this stupid—".

"It's called an exercise before you give it some heinously gruesome title".

"Whatever you choose to call it, it's stupid. Separation is the first step in divorce, are you sure this so-called doctor knows what he is doing"?

"Luke checked his success rate we started, I can't remember what it was—".

"If it's not memorable, then that tells you everything".

"But, it was above fifty percent".

"Okay, So three couples—one decided to get a divorce, one decided to stay together, and one was so old one of them died. That's all it takes for a success rate" Brooke said shrugging. "What are you doing"?

"I had a shirt, here," Peyton said. "It was a white button up—have you seen it"?

"Yeah, I ironed it and put it in your closet".

Peyton froze and looked at Brooke. "You know how to iron"? She asks although she wasn't sure if that should be her focus right now.

"I have no job—I'm bored. I have even taught myself to play Chess these past few weeks. Haley works, you work—the kids are in school, all I have left is talking you out of going to this stupid therapist. Go to one that encourages you to work on your marriage".

Peyton threw her head back in frustration as she walked into the bedroom she shared with her daughter, mumbling beneath her breath. Brooke couldn't hear her, but she just assumed it was about her.

"Well, you won't tell me who it is that Lucas is supposedly in love with—".

"Oh, my god—Brook! Can you just give it a rest? Please? I'm already late and I really don't want to talk about this today".

"Or any day" Brooke called back. "You never want to discuss this, I'm trying to help you save your marriage".

"I'm well aware".

"I just know that if it was Julian—".

"But, it's not," Peyton said as she stepped back out of her bedroom, more dressed now than she was. "It's not you and it's not Julian. This is me and Lucas, I understand that you're trying to help, I appreciate it I really do. But, this isn't your marriage—it's mine, Brooke—and frankly you know nothing about my marriage because of you did you wouldn't be standing there lecturing me".

Peyton stormed out of her house, missing shoe and all, frustrated. She got in her car and quickly drove away, in route to head towards work.

She didn't realize she was crying until she found herself waiting at a stop light, and caught a glimpse of herself through the window of a bridal shop. Which she also found ironic—her marriage was failing, her husband was in love with another woman—who Peyton was sharing a house with, and she was crying again—sitting outside of a bridal shop.

Beep. Beep.

"The lights green moron" Peyton heard from the Mustang that was sitting behind her.

"That's it," Peyton said.

She put her car into park before getting out of her car and walking back to the kid, who was most likely living off of daddy, sitting behind her.

"Listen here," Peyton said leaning down to face the young man in the car. "I understand that you think the world owes you something, your whole damn generation does but I assure you that I do not. It's just common courtesy to assume from time to time that maybe, just maybe someone is having a bad day. But, it's clear by your car and lack of musical sense that your dad bought you this car—probably to cover up the fact that he knows that men inherit everything from their fathers, so out of sympathy he bought you this so you could feel like a man in at least one area of your life—unlike him. It's probably the reason why your mom left him, it's pretty obvious. No mother would allow her ignorant teenaged son to drive something like this, my ten years old has more class than you. But, don't worry your dick is bigger than your brains—not that, that is saying anything".

Peyton turned on her heel and stormed back to her car, to find that the light at some point had turned back to red. But, she did smile at the teenager who had sunk into his seat.

* * *

They couldn't be serious.

"You can't be serious".

And Nathan told them so, he had never been one to hold his feelings back. Why start not? Especially, when his mother—Deb was involved, at this point he didn't claim her no more than he claimed Dan.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lee—"

"Scott" Nathan corrected the doctor in front him.

"My apologies, Mr. Scott—but your mother is having a difficult time processing the news of your uncle—it is vital that she be committed," the doctor told Nathan. "For at least twenty-four hours—".

"Where was this attitude seventeen years ago? When she was a junkie or perhaps whenever she was faking my uncle's death—".

"Well, I was still in medical school so I couldn't tell you but this is the protocol—and she has willingly signed to do so".

"Of course she has," Nathan said, throwing his hands up in the air. "You know this is unbelievable, my uncle is alive and she knows why or how and all of you are just walking around like—".

"Your mother is our patient" the nurse standing next to the doctor told Nathan, interrupting him, which he did not appreciate. "It's not our job to question her past or even her present, it's our job to give her the best care possible and to ensure that leaves this hospital in better shape than when she walked in".

"God," Nathan said running his hands down his face. "I read the sign on my way in—call me if you need a signature to pull the plug".

Frustrated.

Angry.

Pissed off.

None of which Nathan felt significant enough to describe how he was feeling as he left the hospital in a huff, as he quickly reached his car he wasn't sure what came over him but he gave his tire a swift quick.

"Ow," he yelled, realizing that was not his best idea. "Damn it".

"Well," Nathan heard and turned around to see a familiar face. "You look like your having a bad day"

"Holy hell—Jake Jagielski"?

"That's what they still call me, believe it or not".

Nathan laughed before the two hugged, a very manly hug.

"Dare I ask what you're out here beating up your car over"? Jake asked as he leaned away, looking at the car behind Nathan.

"Erm—right" Nathan asked, awkwardly. "Do you remember my mom"?

"I think—didn't she have sex with Tim"?

Nathan shut his eyes tight, trying to erase the dreadful image that crossed through his mind of his mother—oh his mother.

"I don't know," Nathan said shrugging. "Probably" he admitted. "Anything that involves my mother—I have tried to burn out of my mind permanently, but that sentence alone is pretty self-explanatory".

"Damn," Jake said, laughing.

"My mom somehow—still waiting on the how part—fakes Keith's death," Nathan said gesturing towards the hospital. "Keith is alive and—".

"So, it's Keith who I'm here for"?

"What"?

"I work for a large insurance company out of Charleston, we cover most major hospitals North and South Carolina—I haven't got a name yet but I have been sent down to lead the investigation over the hospital— in the likely case that the families were to sue".

"Oh," Nathan said, looking down at his feet. "I don't think that's even on our mind if I'm being honest".

"No one would blame you if you did," Jake told him. "But, it's not just your family, there is a body inside Keith's grave—we have to identify it and alert the family".

Nathan froze, he had not even begun to think of that, and because of that, he felt about two inches tall.

"Someone did die that day, but it just wasn't who we thought," Jake told him. "My job is to work with local law enforcement, figure out who is behind all this".

"Hell, just take her ass to jail," Nathan said pointing at the hospital, in reference to his mother.

"Your mother will likely be questioned but this goes for the hospital staff that was working that day".

"Do you know anything—yet"?

"No," Jake said shaking his head. "I just got here when I said a former NBA player out here kicking his car and thought I would come over and—".

"Shut up," Nathan said, laughing. "How have you been"? He asked, realizing the two had been talking for a few minutes but hadn't really caught up.

"I'm good," Jake said nodding. "Jenny graduated high school back in May and just started college, Princeton".

"That's great".

"Did you ever have any kids"?

"Two," Nathan said. "Jamie—my oldest, I'm certain that he was pulled straight out of the pits of hell".

Jake laughed as Nathan pulled his phone out and said "this is a screenshot someone sent me—because he has me blocked on social media accounts. But, this is my son—James. He will be the reason I become an alcoholic".

"Jen went through that stage for a little while, too—she had always been such a good kid until she hit high school".

"Same—how long will you be in town for"?

"This investigation could take six months up to a year —or I could be done by next week. It all just depends" Jake said shrugging.

"We should definitely get together, before you leave—have dinner or something".

"I bet this is what all the girls in high school felt like when you asked them out".

* * *

"Stop being a chicken," Lily told Chuck.

The two stood with their lunch Trays, looking at the table they normally say at from afar, where Jamie sat with Madison and Andre.

"I'm not chicken," Chuck told her. "It's just a delicate situation".

Lily nodded, as though she was understanding—before she started clucking like a chicken at her boyfriend.

Chuck leaned his head back, he didn't know if it was in frustration or humor, but when he pulled it back up he said: "let's just go".

The two easily joined the table, sitting next to each other which wasn't out of the ordinary.

"Damn it" were the first words the couple heard as they sat down, and they came from none other than Jamie. "Stupid damn—" he said as he attempted to open the carton of milk he had got with his lunch.

"Do you need help with tha—" Madison began, in an attempt to help her boyfriend.

"No" Jamie snapped at her. "Do I look that incompetent to you—damn it" he shouted as he ripped the milk carton—milk spilling out into his tray and over his food. "Now look what you did".

"How could I have done it when you wouldn't let me help you"? Madison asked. "Do you want some of my food"?

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you"?

Madison looked up at her boyfriend, confused—and slightly scared, before looking around at her friends as if one of them could answer the question for her.

But, unfortunately, none of them could. Rather it was the question Jamie asked her that she wanted an answer to or if she was asking what was wrong with Jamie—none of them knew the answer to either.

"I don't know—I don't know what the right answer is right now," Madison said slowly, avoiding any eye contact with Jamie. "I don't know what's wrong with you".

"If it's not about you it just doesn't matter does it"? Jamie said, scoffing at his girlfriend. "I'm going to take my tray up and go to the gym".

"Actually, before you go there is something I want to talk to you about—" Chuck began.

"But, it can wait until later" Lily intervened, as she looked at the hot-headed Scott across the table.

"Whatever" Jamie said, before storming off.

"Aren't you going to go after him"? Andre asked Madison.

"Not if he has a million dollars glued to his ass," she said. "They changed his medicine—they took him off his pain meds now that the stitches have dissolved and I guess it still hurts," she told her friends, not having to further explain the 'it'.

Chuck having only having listened to part of what his friend said, looked at Lily—who was eating from her chicken leg, took the opportunity to cluck like a chicken.

Mid-bite.

"Shut up," Lily told him. "It wasn't the right time. You heard Madison—he is like a walking grenade".

Chuck nodded, before clucking once again—warning a brutal shove from the dark-haired beauty next to him.

"What am I missing"? Madison asked.

"You won't tell Jamie"? Chuck asked.

"The school could be on fire and I wouldn't tell Jamie right now," Madison told them.

"I—we are together. Like together, together" Chuck told Madison as he took Lily's hand. "Have been for a few weeks, but—we haven't exactly told Jamie. I was about to, after being called a chicken—".

"Let it go," Lily said.

"But, Elsa here decided that maybe now isn't the right now".

Madison nodded as she said, "you're secrets safe with me".

"Same" Andre agreed, before standing up "I'm going to take the bait and go check on Jamie".

The three watched as he walked away.

"I think I'm going to go with him," Madison told the new couple.

She stood up—carrying her tray to the trash, and quickly catching up with Andre inside the school.

"Are you alright"? Madison asked her best friend.

"Of course I am," Andre said shrugging. "Why wouldn't I be alright"?

"Because you're crazy about Lily".

"I'm not crazy about her".

"You asked Jamie if it was okay to ask her out and then once you got the say so you practiced with me for hours," Madison said.

"It wasn't hours".

"Andre," Madison said taking his arm forcing him to come to a stop in the middle of the empty hallway. "What happened"?

Andre let out a long and deep breath with a simple shrug "I don't know" he told her. "I was going to ask her out on the last day of the camping trip, but the night before I heard—I heard her and Chuck, he beat me to it".

"Did he know you liked her"?

"No, I don't think so—it's fine".

"It's not over yet," Madison said. "It's not like they are married, or will ever get married. You and Lily make way more sense than—".

"Chuck is my friend, I wouldn't ever do something like that to one of my friends and I doubt she would even want me anyways".

"First of all, any girl that wouldn't want you would be an idiot," Madison told him. "And secondly— he is always doing things like that to you—and Jamie if he could. Do you know how many years he asked me out for? Until we were thirteen and Jamie popped him in the nose for kissing me".

Andre laughed "I was there, I remember," he said. "But, it still doesn't make me like that. I would have loved to have got to take Lily on a date, but you can lose what you never had".

* * *

Lucas paced back and forth inside of Adam's office, who sat with one leg crossed over the other—his hands folded over his stomach and watching his patient walk with his judge eyes.

Which he wasn't judging. In fact, he was observing but that wasn't how Lucas saw it. So, he would look at Adam with an intense expression, which didn't look as threatening as he thought it did. In fact, it looked more like he was constipated than anything.

"You haven't said anything I'm quite some time," Adam told Lucas. "What do you think the reason for that is"?

"You're the one with the Harvard degree you tell me," Lucas said.

"Actually, I graduated from Berkeley" Adam informed him pointing to the plaque on the wall. "But, you often deflect unwanted attention with a sarcasm—why do you think that is"?

"Why do you ask a thousand questions?" He nearly shouted. "How are you feeling today Lucas? How does that make you feel Lucas? What is the reason for that Lucas? What is the problem from your viewpoint Lucas? Did you pick up the dry cleaning Lucas"?

"I don't believe I have ever asked about that last one," Adam told him, frankly.

"No, the last one was Peyton," Lucas told him. "But, I was on a roll, that's not the point".

"Then what is the point"?

Lucas groaned in frustration as he fell on to the couch. "My brother is off somewhere trying to get answers about our uncle—".

"And those answers will be waiting for you when you leave here—these are answers you need to answer. Why is it you have such trouble answering these questions"?

"Do you ever ask questions about per se the weather or maybe my daughter or—"?

"Then let's talk about your daughter" Adam interjected. "How is she handling this separation"?

Lucas shrugged as he looked up at the ceiling, noticing the amount of detail that was put into the art above him. "She is adjusting," he told Adam. "I think she is confused for the most part, but she is handling it very well".

"Alright, now focus on Sawyer—close your eyes," Adam said, and with a scoff, Lucas proceeded to close his eyes. "You're at her high school graduation—you're so proud, and you look over who is next to you Peyton or Brooke".

"Broo—Damn it," Lucas said opening his eyes sitting up. "That was a trick".

"Yes, it was".

"Do you get off destroying marriages"?

"Believe it or not I just want to help you," Adam told him. "You're unable to let these feelings for Brooke go—does any of this seem fair to Peyton? She is your wife and the mother of your child, but she is always falling second best to Brooke—her best friend. Is that fair to her"?

"I haven't been with Brooke since high school—".

"But, yet you still carry these feelings around for her," Adam said. "Let me ask you this—if she cans running to you telling you that she wanted you and loved you—would you leave Peyton for her"?

Lucas looked down at his feet, ashamed of his answer.

"I love my wife," Lucas said, a tear falling down his cheek.

"You do," Adam said. "But, you're not in love with her—that's the difference and that is the difference that is going to end your marriage".

* * *

Haley laid the last wet dirty plate in the dishwasher before shutting the large door and turning it on. Then she proceeded to finish cleaning up the mess in the kitchen dinner had created before stepping into the kitchen where her husband had been entertaining Lydia, with video games, for the last hour.

"Hey"! Lydia and Nathan both yelled when the television turned black.

Haley smiled as she held the remote in her hand.

"Mama, I was about to beat him," Lydia said.

"Hales—I was about to show her she can't beat me," Nathan told his wife.

"It's time for bed," Haley said as she set the remote down on the bookshelf she was standing next to.

Nathan and Haley shared a glance, unnoticed by Lydia who was currently still pouting that her favorite video game had been shut off the mid-game. Haley walked over to the couch that her husband and daughter sat on before sitting down on the coffee table in front of them.

"Lydy," Nathan said looking down at his daughter, rubbing the insides of his palms together. "Your mom and I have something for you".

"Like a present"? Lydia asked, grinning.

"Are we certain that our kids don't biologically belong to Brooke and Lucas"? Nathan asked, looking up at his wife.

Haley smiled but only for a brief moment before she pulled a bag out from next to the couch and handed it to Lydia.

Excitedly, Lydia opened the bag but her face immediately dropped at the sight that was inside. "I don't understand," she said looking up at her parents. "These are diapers—oh! Are you having another baby"? She asked, her mood changing quickly.

"No," Haley said shaking her head. "I—these are for you. They are not diapers, they are pull-ups for you too —erm—you—erm—".

"Lydia" Nathan said intervening on his wife's behalf, which she seemed thankful for. "These are for you to wear to bed until you can stop wetting the bed every night—".

"I'm not a baby," Lydia said throwing the pack across the rooms folding her arms.

"Oh, sweetheart we know that," Haley told her daughter. "But, right now you have been having accidents and—".

"I won't do it anymore, I promise," she said crying.

"Oh, well—" Haley began.

"Then prove it," Nathan said, cutting his wife off before she gave in—knowing it was about to happen any moment. "Wear these for a few nights and show us that if you have to use the bathroom you can get up".

"No"! Lydia said jumping into her mother's lap. "Mommy, tell him! I won't go I swear! I will get up and go to the bathroom! I swear to God! Mommy, tell him"!

Haley looked up at Nathan, who had a stern look on his face. She knew he wasn't willing to budge on this matter, she even knew that he was right. But, she looked at her frantic daughter who was clinging to her mother like a found puppy dog.

"Lydia" Haley said swallowing the lump in her throat as she pushed a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "Your daddy is right—you need to wear these. Mama has had to wash your sheets every morning, this problem isn't going away".

"No" Lydia demanded backing away from both her parents. "I hate you! I hate you both"!

Lydia took off running up the stairs leaving the parents alone in the living room, or so they thought.

"Does this mean I am the favorite"? Jamie asked as he came skipping down the staircase.

"Don't you tease her" Nathan ordered his son pointing his finger at him.

"I'm not—I just came to get a towel there were none clean in the bathroom," he said shrugging.

"They are folded in the laundry room I just haven't got a chance to put them away just yet," Haley told her son.

Jamie nodded, but he didn't move.

In fact, he looked as nauseating as his two parents did.

"What is it"? Nathan asked looking up at his son, as Haley slid from the coffee table into the spot next to her husband. "What did you do? I know the look—I was known for it in high school".

"I—have to tell you something," Jamie said, his voice low. "Just don't hit me".

"Jamie, You could commit murder and we wouldn't hit you," Haley said, halfway laughing at his comment.

"I got—I got a tattoo".

Haley and Nathan shared a look, thinking that they knew what was about to be revealed to them.

They were wrong.

"Oh" Nathan said, a little too cocky if you were to ask Haley.

"Well—I got two".

Nathan and Haley looked at each other, once again but this time they were looking at the other for a reason to believe they knew. But, they were each as shocked as the other.

"Jamie," Nathan said standing up, letting go of his wife's hand. "Take your shirt off".

Jamie looked down at the ground, knowing it had hit his father like a ton of bricks. If he just wanted to hide the tattoo on his back he could have worn t-shirts instead of long sleeves all summer.

But, the teenager hesitated but eventually did as his father said. He didn't look up but he heard his mother gasp and he could feel his father's eyes piercing through him.

"Half of your arm is covered" Nathan spoke each word more carefully than the last, as though he were about to blow any given second.

"Yeah," Jamie said nodding. "It's a half sleeve—".

"Do not interrupt me when I'm speaking" Nathan said. "Do not talk unless I say so. Are we clear"?

"Can I answer that"?

"Nathan—" Haley began.

"Get Lydia ready for bed—you," he said pointing at his son, deferring his attention from his wife to his son. "Your bedroom, now" he demanded.

Jamie and Nathan quickly made their way to Jamie's room, much to the nervous teenager's dismay. He was certain he had never seen his father so angry in his life, in fact, he knew he hadn't.

Nathan walked into the bedroom behind Jamie slamming the door behind him, causing his sixteen-year-old son to nearly jump out of his skin.

"You are going to stop with your smart ass comments," Nathan said, his voice high enough that it bounced off from one wall to another. "I am done with you being so disrespectful to me and your mom, this is our house. Not yours. You will treat us with some respect".

"I wasn't trying to be a smartass," Jamie told his dad. "I was genuinely asking a question".

"Where is your phone"?

"On the charger," he said pointing at his phone that was laying on the table next to his bed.

"Give it to me".

"Can I text Madison and let her know that I won't have it"? Jamie asked.

Nathan nodded, although he wasn't sure why as he watched Jamie send a text message and then turned his phone off and handed it to his dad.

"Two weeks and you will get this back," Nathan told him. "Do you know why I'm taking this"?

"Because I got a giant ass tattoo"?

"No," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Because your mother and I have said it time and time again to watch your mouth. I get it—your a teenager. But, we have told you not to curse in this house—".

"You do".

"I'm a grown ass adult, I'm thirty-four years old. This is my house. I pay the bills. Not you" Nathan told his son. "You have two more years here with your mom and me, you have zero reasons to get emancipated as I did. When you're eighteen if you want to move out and spend your senior year working your ass off just to make sure you have a home to live in—that's your choice. I can't stop you. But, as long as you live here you will abide by the rules your mother and I set for you-you will respect us. Are we clear"?

"Whatever".

Nathan took Jamie's jaw in his hand forcing his son to look up at him. "Try That again".

"Yes, we're clear," Jamie said.

Nathan let go of his son's face, as he thought he heard Jamie sniffle but couldn't certain because he saw no tears.

"How much did you pay for that"?

"The tattoos"?

"Yes, both".

"About a thousand—but I swear to God it was my money dad".

"I don't doubt it," Nathan told him as he put Jamie's phone in his back pocket. "So, one thousand dollars—one month. You're grounded for one month. You are to get up and go to school and to work and basketball but other than that your ass is to be at this house. No going to the movies, parties—you're not even allowed to go to Madison's. When I get up in the morning all of your electronics are to be in my office in a box—".

"God. You can't be serious. You're being ridiculous".

"Who do you think you're talking to? You will learn to treat the adults in your life with respect".

"I do," Jamie said. "Ask Brooke or Lucas or—".

"Brooke and Lucas are not your parents," Nathan said, through gritted teeth, utterly regretting his previous joke to his wife thirty minutes earlier. "Brooke and Lucas don't pay to feed you every single day, they don't pay the insurance on your car, or buy you a two hundred dollar pair of Jordan's—or all the clothes you need. They don't pay your cell phone bill. They aren't your parents, you need to realize that. Your mom and I do all those things, and get no respect for it".

"I'm sorry".

"Fewer words more actions," Nathan said, taking a long deep breath. "Two weeks no phone, one month nothing else. You can still go to basketball practice but I don't want to so much as catch you at the river court, and I will check your GPS every night when I get in from work. You are not to be at Madison's and she is not to be here—".

"Dad we study together," Jamie told him. "Ask mom".

"Okay, Fine. Then if she is here you two study downstairs at the kitchen table—no questions about it. You two are not to be up in this room whatsoever together. I mean that—if she is up here for anything other than to use the restroom you get another month".

"Fine" Jamie said crossing his arms.

"Goodnight, I love you".

"Yeah what—" Jamie began looking up at his dad but found Nathan glaring at him. "I love you" Jamie forced out.

Nathan walked out of his bedroom shutting the door behind him as he found Haley waiting for him.

"What happened to us agreeing on everything together"? She asked crossing her arms. "Lydia and I could hear you two down the hall".

"Hales, he has a tattoo that takes up over half of his arm," Nathan said as he walked towards their bedroom, his wife hot on his heels.

"This can't be about the tattoo—we both have tattoo's".

"Not the point and both of ours are barely visible. I have one on my back and you have a tattoo on your ass".

"Above".

"Hales, he not only went behind our back and got it, illegally might I add but it's huge".

"But, it's his body," Haley said shutting their door as she followed him into the bedroom.

"You're telling me that you're alright with him getting two massive tattoos"?

"No," she said. "Of course not but you should have discussed disciplining him with me. I don't think we should yell at our kids. You yelled at him, Nathan".

"He yelled at me to"!

"I don't want my son yelled at," Haley told him.

"You mean like you're yelling at me"?

The two stood face to face, and after brief second Haley ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to release the frustration she had built up at her husband.

"You're right," Haley told him. "I just don't want decisions about our kids made by just one parent. We talked, I thought we were on the same page".

"We were".

* * *

Lucas knew this was a mistake, he just knew it was, but he also knew this couldn't wait until morning. Instead, of being at home—asleep, he stood outside of Brooke Davis' home, the only light coming from her porch light that hung above his head. After what felt like an eternity—he lifted his hand and pressed the doorbell.

He waited.

And he waited.

Then the door swung open and Brooke stood there wrapped in a silk house robe, her hair pulled to the side.

It took all of Lucas' energy to not get lost in her sleepy smile, which is what he wanted to do.

"Lucas—what are you doing here"? Brooke asked, her voice groggy. "It's—midnight".

"I need to talk to Peyton, is she here"? He asked.

As if I'm perfect cue Peyton popped her head around the corner, wearing nothing but a small t-shirt that belonged to her husband once upon a time.

"It's for you," Brooke said, shaking her head. "I'm going to bed".

Brooke disappeared leaving the two alone, but Lucas had yet to step inside the home.

"Our ninety days are nowhere near up," Peyton told him as she walked outside, pulling the door tightly behind her. "Is this an emergency—".?

"I'm not finishing the ninety days," Lucas told her. "I spent the whole day with Adam, and something hit me. I have driven around for the past six hours—I'm exhausted but I remembered something mom once told me" he said taking her hand. "If you love two people at the same time choose the second because if you really loved the first one you wouldn't have fallen for the second".

"Okay," Peyton said, running her hands up her bare arms. "How does that apply for us now"?

"I was crazy about you Peyton, growing up. I loved you and then I met Brooke and then I had the chance to be with you—I loved you first not Brooke".

Lucas watched as the color drained from Peyton's face, she looked as though she might collapse but Peyton was stronger than anyone ever thought she was.

"I'm going to meet with a lawyer in the morning—I'm filing for divorce".

* * *

"You just told your parents"? Madison asked as she walked through the hallway with her four friends, although she was speaking directly with Jamie. "You just walked up to them and said hey mom and dad I got a tattoo"?

"Yup," he said as they all stopped, and he opened his locker.

"And you decided—after Nathan grounded you into an eternity that wearing—basically nothing on your top half was smart"? Chuck asked.

"Yup".

"It's calling for thunderstorms all day, you do realize that right"? Andre asked.

"Yup".

"Is that the only word in your vocabulary this dreadful morning"?

"Yup".

"Jamie, What were you thinking"? Madison asked. "I don't mean telling your parents, it's like your purposely trying to piss your dad off".

"Seriously" Chuck agreed.

"You have great parents, some of us would love that," Andre said, gesturing at him and the rest of the group.

"Whose damn side are you all on because it's not mine"? Jamie asked pulling a book out.

"We are always on your side," Madison told her boyfriend. "We are just looking out for you-you're not exactly making the smartest decisions right now".

"Screw you," he told his girlfriend slamming his locker. "All of you, go to hell".

The group stood together, stunned, watched as Jamie stormed away—running into a group of girls, most of the cheerleading team.

"Nice ink," one of the girls said.

"It's so hot," another said.

"Easy killer," Andre said grabbing Madison's arm before she took off in a frenzy. "He isn't just trying to get a rise out of Nathan—you apply to that as well".

"What did I do to piss him off"? Madison asked.

"Oh" Chuck said, as his mind finally registered what was wrong with his friend. "I know what's wrong with him".

"I do, too" Andre agreed.

"And would you two care to share it with us or is this like a game of charades because I will beat you both up with my Louboutin's," Lily said crossing her arms staring at the two boys.

"How long has it been since the accident—three weeks"? Chuck asked, to which the girls nodded. "It's one thing not having sex because we are guys, and we can easily fix that ourselves".

"Except he hasn't been able to, and we have all seen the way you two kiss," Andre said, looking at Madison.

"The dude is wired up," Chuck said grinning.

"He is sexually frustrated" Andre explained, better to the girls. "He has had no sexual release in three weeks, it's no wonder he is trying to piss everyone else off. He is—".

"Horny as it gets".

"A little turned on," Andre said slapping chuck on the chest.

"It's only been three weeks," Madison said. "It can't be that bad".

"It wouldn't be if you two weren't gagging each other with your tongues half naked every day," Chuck told her.

"Ignore him," Lily told Madison.

"As uneducated as that sentence is he is right, he is just very—".

"Horny" Chuck said before Andre had the chance to say something. "He will be like that until he is cleared some good old fashion—".

"Sexual activity" Andre cut in before Chuck spit out his inappropriate comment.

"Better buckle up, it's going to be a long three to five weeks," Lily said folding her arms.

* * *

Nathan and Lucas sat in the chairs next to the hospital bed that Deb laid in, unconscious. Neither had spoken in the three hours since they had arrived, instead, they waited.

"Do you think she is really asleep"? Lucas asked as he looked at Nathan who shrugged. "I mean it's Deb—no offense".

"Oh, trust me I said the same thing," Nathan told Lucas. "Why didn't you tell me about Jamie's tattoo"?

"You said you knew," Lucas said smoothly, as though was an innocent as a virgin. "Not to mention it wasn't my business".

"You had no issue telling me about his sex life".

"That is different," Lucas told Nathan. "And you know it's different. I told Haley the same thing I'm about to tell you, he confides in me and there are some things I will share with you two and somethings I won't. Just like I have my opinion on how you discipline him, but it's not my business. He is not my child, he is yours and Haley's—which is something you should have considered before choosing the punishment by yourself".

"I thought it wasn't your business".

"I said it's not my business on how the two of you chose to discipline him, that was not a team effort. You made that decision all by yourself, and I am just saying that I happen to agree with Haley".

"Why don't you worry about your own wife"? Nathan shot angrily at his brother.

"Because, as of nine o'clock this morning I don't have one," Lucas told his brother. "Well, she still has to sign it but I filed for divorce".

"God," Nathan said covering his face with his hands. "I'm a dick".

"Pretty much".

"I thought you two just started therapy, are you certain about this"?

"Nate, my marriage was over before it started. The problem has always been Peyton loved me so much and I never loved her enough, we were fine when it was just us traveling—but then Brooke came and—Peyton became painfully aware that I never stopped loving Brooke. At one point I thought I ruined things with her for the girl I wanted my entire life, it had to mean something" Lucas said. "There has to be a reason I would risk everything, twice. But, it was nothing more than teenaged ignorance. It's not fair to Peyton, I don't think I ever loved her. I wanted to—I wanted to love Peyton. She is beautiful and strong and amazing, I blew it with Brooke twice for her. I needed to love her, but I just couldn't".

The two sat in silence for a minute, Nathan slowly registering with every word his brother had said.

"What does that mean—are you going to tell Brooke"? Nathan asked. "That you still love her"?

"I don't know, part of me wants to. But, I'm still married—until that part is taken care of I can't think of that" Lucas admitted. "Part of me is scared to though if I'm being honest. I would rather have Brooke in my life as a friend than nothing, and if she doesn't feel the same way when I lost my wife and one of my best friends. She would still be there, but it would change everything".

"If she said no—would you want to go back to Peyton"?

"No," Lucas said, without taking a second to think about it. "Peyton and I, we are done, for good. I'm not wasting any more of her time or mine, this has been so toxic I can't put Sawyer through any more of this".

Nathan nodded "I understand that". And he did. But, he also felt bad for his brother.

"I saw Jamie at the school this morning when I stopped by to talk to Haley—interesting choice of wardrobe".

"The cut off he was wearing"?

"He wore that just to piss you off—you know that right"?

"Oh, yeah I know".

Lucas laughed, briefly.

"Do you really think I was too hard on him"? Nathan asked.

"That's not for me to say—that's for Haley to say. You two need to be in agreement over that, you won't be able to successfully raise your children until you are".

"I hate it when you're right you know"?

"Oh, yeah. I know".

* * *

Haley opened the door to red bedroom records and walked into the place she had spent so much time at one point in her life. It was so easy for her to remember the many moments she spent inside the four walls, listening to music, making music, and writing music.

It used to be a home away from home.

"Hey," Haley said as she approached the desk where that Peyton sat behind, with a tall man next to her.

"Hey," Peyton said, looking up. "What are you doing here"?

"Just thought I would stop by," Haley said smiling.

"Cole, this is one of my good friends Haley—this is Cole he is the lead singer of one of the bands here".

"Nice to meet you," Haley said reaching out shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you" he replied.

"Cole, why don't you go into the next room and look through these files," Peyton told him.

He nodded but got up walking away with the folder—shutting the door behind him.

"I'm fine," Peyton told Haley without taking a breath to think about it, she knew why her friend was here. "I knew it was coming, I knew it would happen. Part of me wishes I had done it myself, but I didn't. I have my label, I have Sawyer—I have my friends. I'm fine. I no longer have to avoid Lucas, things will be weird for a while but eventually, it will be okay again. I have a lawyer who will communicate with Lucas' lawyer and hopefully, everything can go through amicably. I don't want to make this any more difficult on Sawyer, we agreed we would sit down and tell her together, once the divorce is completely finalized. Living apart should help her get used to the idea, but—I'm fine. It's all going to be fine".

"Good," Haley said sitting down. "I'm glad. I want you to be happy. All of you. Lucas, you and Sawyer—but that's not all I came to talk to you about".

"Oh," Peyton said leaning forward. "Is there a chance you came to tell me you have a kick-ass song in that oddly small purse that you want to sell to the label, because these kids can't decide on songs anymore, is killing me".

"No—but we will come back to that in a minute," Haley said, semi-confused. "Jake is in town. Nathan ran into him yesterday at the hospital".

"Jake, Jake Who— oh," Peyton said nearly jumping out of her seat as the mental picture of her high school boyfriend flashed across her mind. "My Jake? Jake, Jake? As in—Jake"?

"Okay, you sound worse than the high schoolers I deal with daily—mine included and that's saying something right now because mine is at the top of the bad teenager's pyramid," Haley said. "Yes, your Jake. I was thinking of making dinner one night, and you and I having dinner with him and Nathan".

"Haley James Scott, are you trying to set me up with my old high school flame less than twelve hours after my husband signed papers ending our decade long marriage"?

"Well, when you put it like that it sounds bad but Lucas is going to be dealing with his Brooke drama—you are heartbroken I get that but just because things didn't work out doesn't mean you should automatically stop living your life". Haley told her. "It doesn't even have to be a setup, just come to dinner one night. It would be fun, catching up. I mean my teenager will be there, Nathan grounded him and did everything short of slapping a house arrest bracket on his ankle last night but—I mean you already cheated on Lucas this isn't that big of a step".

Peyton looked up at Haley, and the two both lightly laughed. "Well, when you put it like that dinner with my ex doesn't sound so bad".

Haley smiled, "I already looked him up on social media he was engaged a few years ago to some girl in Georgia named Mandy—they split up when he and Jenny moved back to North Carolina. He has been single ever since—".

"The FBI could use more people like you".

Haley laughed, although it was true.

"You know what," Peyton asked. "Yeah, it would be fun to go out. Do you know the last time I went out with anyone, that was not Brooke or Lucas, or that wasn't talking about Brooke or Lucas? It would be fun to be with friends that we're talking about the weather for once".

"We will probably make a reservation unless you want to spend the afternoon with a moody teenager".

Peyton laughed, "just text me the time and date".

"I will," Haley said smiling. "Now, back to this artist you were talking about".

"He is the lead singer for this band beyond Carolina—great band by the way. But, they don't write their own music, that's not the problem. They are wanting a new sound—whatever the hell that means and I have been searching through songs with him for what feels like forever".

"Would you like some assistance"? Haley asked.

"Yeah—don't you normally try to be home by five"?

"Normally, yes," Haley said, nodding. "But, I will do anything to avoid my husband and my son. Jamie went behind my back and got a massive tattoo and Nathan didn't consult with me on how we should discipline our teenager. Lydia is at Quinn's so they can figure out how to feed themselves tonight—I'm all yours".

* * *

"Hello, Miss. Lee" Jake said as he stood at the foot of Deb's hospital bed. "I am Agent Jagielski and I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind".

"Are you serious"? Deb asked turning her head towards her son. "I have an anxiety attack and you bring in the feds"?

Lucas laughed as he watched his brother roll his eyes to the back of his head, it was very dramatic. But, very called for when it came to Deb.

"I'm not an FBI agent," Jake said, smiling. "I'm an insurance agent".

"Oh," Deb said, her cheeks turning a bright red. "Sorry you said agent and the suit threw me off a little, you look awfully young to be in such a stuffy job".

"Mom" Nathan moaned running his hand across his head. "This is Jake, he went to school with me—he was with Peyton. You have slept with enough of my school mates, stop flirting. You're not getting out of this".

"I wasn't flirting it was a simple compliment. You act like I live with my underwear off".

"Could we please focus"? Lucas asked holding his hands out as if he was the mediator between the mother and son.

"Do you care to walk us through that day"? Jake asked Deb, as he sat down in the chair. "Your name is on the paper confirming that the body was Keith's—do you remember what happened"?

For the first time in Deb's life, she froze, nervous. She carefully twirled the loose string on her blanket between her fingers, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"I'm not the police, that's not my job to determine if you are in trouble" Jake informed her, taking Deb's hand. "Keith was at this hospital, my job is simply determining the facts about the hospital, not your part in this".

Deb nodded, slowly as she nibbled on her fingernails. "Keith—I guess—Dan meant to shoot him in the heart," she told them, tears falling down her face. "He wasn't dead at the scene, Karen was busy with Lucas and Dan was busy trying to make sure no one saw him I guess. Dan and I had filed for divorce but it hadn't been finalized yet, I was the only family member to reach out to for Keith".

Jake slowly nodded, as he watched Nathan and Lucas listen much more intensely than he was. For good reason.

"I was a little drunk—".

"A little"? Nathan asked.

"Yes, just a little my son had been locked inside a school with a gun the only drinks I had was that morning before it happened" Deb insisted. "When I got to the hospital there was chaos, everywhere. The shooting wasn't the only accident that day, something else happened but I can't remember what".

"There was an accident on the freeway" Jake informed them. "Right at the Tree hill Exit. Everyone was brought here, a semi turned taking more than enough cars with it".

"Right," Deb said. "That must have been it, I never thought I would find him. All the kids were getting checked out I seen Nathan and Haley with Dan in the ER—".

"It was a precaution," Nathan said. "Anyone inside had to get looked at".

Lucas knew by his brother's response that so far anything Deb has said was the truth.

"They got him stabilized here—and they were sending him to Charleston" Deb explained, biting on her lip. "He could barely talk, and the police were wanting to speak with him to get his statement but then I walked in. They said he needed to rest but I sat next to him as they waited for the next helicopter to take him on. He told me that it was Dan who shot him, at first I just thought it was the drugs because he had already been through surgery and needed more but, he swore it was Dan".

"So, that day in the hospital—when mom was in the hospital and I told you"? Lucas began.

"I already knew, yes" Deb admitted. "They transferred him to the hospital in Charleston, where they were sending all the critical patients. I drove up there, I made it before he went into surgery. The hospital was just as chaotic as Tree Hill, if not worse. He had not even been into surgery yet but he had fallen into a coma, that a nurse said she wasn't sure if he would wake up after the surgery or not—when someone came out to get me to identify the body".

"What probably happened is on a day like that before everything went digital it was all paper, charts would get mixed up" Jake explained.

"It was a madhouse. I went back to see him, he was sedated so I stepped out to use the bathroom and heard them call out Scott—I rushed out and they asked me if I was willing to identify the body. I was confused because I hadn't been away from him for any more than five or ten minutes. I didn't think there was no way for him to go into surgery, die, and then be transferred to the morgue in that little of time. As it turns out, it wasn't him. It was a man in his thirties who did resemble Keith, in age and race".

"Okay," Jake said rubbing his chin. "Walk me through what happened when you got down to the morgue".

"I followed the nice nurse man and when they pulled the sheet back—maybe it was the sight of a dead body but I passed out. When I came to, they asked me if that was Keith. I had been fighting for so long to get away from Dan, at the time I was terrified of him. I was worried about what he would do if Keith lived— would he try to finish what he started? I was so scared of my husband at this time I tried to kill him, and knowing what he did to his brother—or tried to do does anyone blame me"?

Lucas, Nathan, and Jake all understood, and they all shook their heads in union because—none of them blamed her.

"Keith was a good guy," Deb said. "He always was, sure he made mistakes. We both did. But, he didn't deserve to die so he didn't. I don't know what made me say yes or sign the papers but I did" Deb told them. "If Dan knew he was alive he would have come up there and done—I don't know but I thought if Dan could just think he was dead until after the surgery, then he could testify and put his ass away. When I got back upstairs they still hadn't taken Keith back to surgery so—I snuck back into his room and stole his file".

"You stole hospital property"? Jake asked, raising an eyebrow. "After you said a man that wasn't your brother in law was"?

"Yes" Deb said. "I sat down in the waiting room, close to his room and I waited. I watched. They assumed they lost the file and labeled him a John Doe. Karen called me moments after telling me Keith was dead, I don't even know if she or Dan knew I was with him that day".

"I feel like that's something mom would have mentioned".

"I would come up to the hospital a couple of times a week and tell them I was there with a man who died and heard about the John Doe. I made up some sad sappy story about how everyone needs to hear someone's voice—when he was moved. But, I wasn't family—unless I wanted to let Dan know he was alive, so they couldn't tell me".

"Basically you lost Keith"?

"It was around the time of Nathan and Haley's wedding, maybe before or after I can't really remember but I looked for him. I did. But, he was a John Doe—That made it pretty difficult. That's what I spent so much time doing after Jamie was born".

"You did all that—to protect him"? Lucas asked.

"Yes," Deb answered truthfully. "Keith meant a lot to me, but until he woke up it was my word versus Dan's and knowing just what he was truly capable of, I was scared and then I was scared to tell everyone at the risk that he did pass away. I'm so sorry, I really hope you can forgive me, Lucas".

* * *

"Working hard or hardly working"? Brooke asked as she walked up sitting on a stool.

Madison stood behind the bar, brewing a fresh pot of coffee, while Lily cleaned off a table in the corner.

"I always hated the phrase," Brooke said, after saying it out loud. "My dad used to say it to me, I used to think people who said it was old and boring. I'm neither. I'm young and hot. Why would I say that"?

Lily laughed as she walked behind the bar joining Madison sitting the tray on the cart full of dirty supplies.

"I told you she was cool," Lily told Madison.

"The coolest" Brooke agreed.

"What are you doing here"? Lily asked as she poured Brooke a cup of coffee, earning a devilish look from the woman in front of her.

"Not that we don't love you being here—what have we don't to be so lucky and blessed to be graced with your wonderful perfect presence"? Madison asked.

"Much better," Brooke said. "You should take notes from her," she told Lily, pointing at Madison. "But, you have your boyfriend to thank for that—Haley is avoiding going home so she went to talk to Peyton and got caught up helping her that she actually forgot she did have the stuff to do here. So, she called me and asked me to stop by and do it".

"Madison is the manager why didn't she just ask her"? Lily asked.

"It's one of the few things Madison can't do—I need to go through your time cards and send it into the bank. It's Wednesday and it has to be there by ten in the morning or you don't get paid on Friday—unless you two just don't like money".

"No, by all means—I'll show you to the office and rub your feet," Lily said.

"I thought that was something only Haley could do because it has to have your name on the bank account or something"? Madison asked.

"Haley and I are partners, I own fifty percent of the cafe".

"What about Baker man"?

"That, too".

Brooke slowly took a small sip out of her big warm mug, watching the girls as she did.

"So, tell me how was school"?

"Fine" Madison said as Lily began laughing like a drugged out hyena.

Madison glared at Lily, who despite being threatened through a devastating look couldn't contain her laughter.

"What am I missing"? Brooke asked, slowly sitting her mug down, looking at the two teenaged girls suspiciously.

"Nothing" Madison responded as quickly as she could.

"Jamie has a tude," Lily told her.

"He is a Scott he always has an attitude," Brooke said shrugging.

"Not this kind—he is pissed off at the world because—" Lily said as Madison tried to cover her mouth. "He can't get his rocks off" she managed to finish.

"Oh, yeah—that will do it. Men and sex".

"Can we not talk about this—please"? Madison asked.

"Maddie, I was just joking," Lily told her.

"I know—it's just that it's my fault. When I told Jamie I was ready to have sex he wanted our first time to be in a bed, at his house when Haley went with Nathan to Charleston three days before. I insisted that we wait and have sex on our annual camping trip, make it even more memorable and special to us than it already was" Madison told them running her fingers through her hair. "Then I had another stupid idea, that during the time that we couldn't have sex we work our way up to it because for some godforsaken reason that made sense at the time. I insisted that we have this steamy make-out sessions and every time we lose an extra piece of clothing until I was ready to see him naked and ready to let him see me naked because after the camping incident I got freaked out and he is pissed and horny and has a broken dick and it's all my fault and there isn't anything I can do about it and—".

"That's not true," Brooke said. "If anything you would be the only one who could help him".

Madison froze, she looked at Brooke and then at Lily both of which had serious facial expression. This was not a joke, and unfortunately, the question she had bouncing around in her head was not a joke.

But, she knew she would regret asking it.

"How-how exactly would I help him"? Madison asked pinching the bridge of her nose—not looking at either of the girls she was surrounded by.

"I can think of two ways off the top of my head," Lily said, smiling as she crossed her arms.

"Amateur," Brooke said rolling her eyes. "I can think of thirteen".

"Thirteen"? Lily and Madison both asked, alarmed.

"Now it's seventeen".

"I don't even know if there is that many sex positions," Lily said.

"Now, that's a number that would leave you girls with your jaws on the floor".

Madison leaned her head back, she knew she was going to ask but for the life of her, she couldn't remember why.

"Alright," Madison said, giving in. "What are these ways"?

Lily and Brooke each had a smile on their face until Madison pointed her finger at the only other teenager and said: "I'm not asking you".

Lily's smile dropped.

"She's right," Brooke said, shrugging. "You need to leave this to the pros I have a Ph.D. in—D".

Lily and Brooke laughed, Madison didn't want to but she smiled.

"Alright," Brooke said, seriously, which ironically was the first time either of the girls had ever seen her be serious. "If you're still not ready to see him naked or have him see you—which FYI if you plan to have sex with him you're going to have to get over".

"Agreed" Lily said as she walked around the bar sitting next to Brooke.

"Now, before you jump to conclusions just hear me out first," Brooke said. "This is a way that he will get his rocks off and there is a good chance you will, too. And if it's your first orgasm you will have me to thank—just keep an open mind".

"This already doesn't sound good".

"It's just like sex, and it is able without injuring his—favorite area," Brooke told them. "You can do it with your clothes on, the less the better. You do everything you would do with sex, except the actual sex part. There is rubbing and kissing and—".

"Oh, my god" Madison said. "Is she talking about dry humping? Please, tell me she isn't talking about dry humping"! She said, very dramatically looking at Lily.

"Well, when you give it A stupid name like dry humping of course it sounds ridiculous".

"What's the big deal? I've done it" Lily informed her.

"So, have I—after I had the twins until I was physically able to have sex Julian and I got very adventurous," Brooke said. "It's very sensual and believes it or not women enjoy it quite a bit".

"Next" Madison ordered.

"Fine" Brooke said folding her arms. "But, the rest you have to be comfortable with seeing each other naked".

"Then start naming them".

"Well, it's another form of rubbing—you might not enjoy it as much as Jamie and he would have to be very careful not to go at a wrong angle—".

"Go where at a wrong angle"?

Lily pointed with both of her index fingers at her top half, knowing exactly what Brooke was talking about.

"Oh, my god" Madison screeched covering her face. "You were closer with the dry humping".

Brooke ran her fingers through her hair and asked: "how do you plan to ever have sex at this rate"?

"Are you even sure that these are things Jamie can do"? Madison asked her.

"If he can physically become—turned on, then he can do these" Brooke told her. "But, the next one is very—intimate. So, you would have to really just dive off the board and see him naked".

"How intimate"?

And for the next thirty minutes, Brooke took Madison further and further down the rabbit hole until there was no sign of return. Just traumatizing fears.

"But, it doesn't matter if you can't get over the naked thing you're never even going to be able to have sex once he has healed," Brooke told Madison.

"So, how do I do that"? Madison asked, her voice low, as she watched Lily serve two customers.

"It's like ripping a band-aid off—there are two ways you can do it. Just next time you're kissing pull your clothes off don't think about it or send him a picture via text".

"He is grounded, remember"?

"Even better," Brooke told her. "Take it with your phone and when you're sitting there with him when no one else can see it slide it over to him and watch his eyes fall out of his head".

"Does Haley know you give me sex tips with her son"?

Brooke scoffed. "She will know that the same day she finds out that I almost had sex with her older brother at Jamie's first birthday party".

Madison chuckled before standing up and saying "more customers, thanks to Brooke".

Brooke smiled as Madison walked away, leaving her alone. For a brief second.

Another teenaged girl sat next to Brooke, her eyes glancing around the cafe. As if she was looking for someone, but she seemed lost.

"Hi," Brooke said smiling, officially taking on the role of the teenaged girl whisperer. "Do you need help with something"?

"Erm—sort of," the girl said shrugging. "I'm actually looking for my parents".

"Oh, well what do they look like"?

Brooke found it slightly odd that a teenager would need help finding her parents, but didn't judge. Although, she had a phone—but Brooke wasn't judging.

"No," the girl said smiling. "I was adopted, my biological parents are from here, I think. I was adopted by my mom died when I was six and I have been looking for my parents. My birth parents—I mean".

"I'm from around here I might have heard of them, what's their names"?

The girl fumbled through a small pouch she had before pulling a crumpled piece of paper out "here it is" she told Brooke. "My mother's name is Rachel Virginia Gatina and my father's name is Marvin Leonardo McFadden".

Mid-drink of her coffee, Brooke broke out into a coughing fit at the two names she just heard. In fact, she was certain she had an aneurysm, but she had dropped her coffee mug.

"Oh, my god" Brooke said as the broken glass and dark liquid spilling everywhere. "I'm so sorry," she told Lily who had come over quickly to clean up.

"It's fine," Lily said. "No biggie".

Brooke watched as Lily cleaned the mess up before turning back to the girl in front of her.

"What did you say your name was"? Brooke asked turning back to the girl.

"I didn' its Lucy," she told the woman next to her. "My full name is Lucille Morgana Gatina-McFadden".

"Did your biological mother name you"?

"Yes".

"That sounds about right," Brooke said to herself. "How old are you"?

"I will be sixteen in December".

Confused.

Brooke was very confused.

"You're fifteen—who are you here with? How did you get here"?

"Me, myself, and I".

"But, where are you staying"? Brooke asked. "I don't mean to pry, it's just your age and I knew your parents. Both of them. Well."

"Oh, I have a little money enough to stay at a hotel for a few nights you know my parents—"?

"What about when you run out of money"?

"Erm—I'm still figuring that out but I thought about applying for a job somewhere I kind of just live Day to day right now".

"Alright, you can stay with me," Brooke told her. "I can take you to meet your dad tomorrow, maybe the next day I might need to speak with him first".

"Wait—really"?

"Yes, Lily fix her something to eat and put it on my tab—get whatever you want. I have a few things to do in the back and then I will take you to my house. Help yourself".

* * *

_**A/N I really do walk a fine line between Keeping the rating teen for my story. Sex is a big storyline right now for the teenagers, so I tried to hint at certain things without flat out writing or saying certain things so to keep my rating. But, I haven't said anything that the CW doesn't say now. **_

**_ There was a guest who asked about Mouth, Just in time. His storyline has been in the works but I do try to keep a balance so not to have too many storylines floating around at one time. I ended one storyline in this chapter with Peyton and Lucas as I started one with Mouth. And yes there is no mistake Lucy is their daughter._**

**_Also, I am trying to build a relationship with Brooke and Madison, I didn't want her only storyline to be involved just with Lucas. But, A guest asked about her employment situation. She still designs and owns part of the café, but that is where Madison will come in later. They will create a very strong mother, daughter relationship by the end. _**

**_ As I wrote that Nathan and Jamie part I've battled with what would be too much, and what would Nathan would really say. Part of me felt that he might not be so harsh, but then other parts of me thought any man with a teenage son is going to snap like this at one point. _**

**_Haley and Nathan are at odds right now, but their relationship is not at risk by any means. _**

**_Anyways, thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a comment! _**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I own no rights, and don't claim to! **_

_**Thanks for reading! **_

* * *

The alarm clock echoed through the bedroom of Marvin and Millicent McFadden, Mouth and Millie as they were known by through their friends. The sun had yet to rise, the street lights still lit the town, and only one store was open—a gas station, that stayed open twenty-four hours for those that worked the graveyard shift.

Mouth did not work nights, he slept nights. And he would have liked to kept sleeping but he didn't. Instead, he rolled over smacking the top of his alarm before swinging his legs over the side of his bed and stretching.

Coffee.

Mouth needed coffee.

He stood up, stumbling through his bedroom like a drunk college freshman, in search of his kitchen—through his squinted eyes, unable to fully open them just yet.

Eventually, he made it. He knew it was the kitchen from the small light that was on above the stove, Mouth began to make his coffee. He could have done it with his eyes shut, in fact, he did. That was until his coffee was done brewing and he began sipping out of his cup.

Mouth leaned over flipping the switch to the kitchen and immediately saw a figure sitting at his counter—smiling.

"Ahhh".

Mouth knew that loud scream had to come from him because his throat hurt and his coffee that was in his hand, was now scalding his body through his clothes—indicating he had spilled it on to him when he dropped his cup that hit the ground loudly, shattering all over the floor.

"Good morning," Brooke Davis said, resting her chin on her hand.

"Wha—Wha—".

"Ahhh" they both heard.

Millie came charging into the kitchen with a racket in her hand, looking for blood—which she would find if she looked beneath her husband's foot.

"Good morning," Brooke said once again.

Millie looked from Mouth to Brooke, disturbingly clear what had happened. She looked down shaking her head and said "we need new friends" as she walked back out of the kitchen.

Mouth watched as his wife left him alone with his lifelong friend, and he looked over at her—to find she was still smiling.

"Good—".

"If you say good morning again I will pour coffee on you," he said as he walked over fetching the mop. "It's only fair".

"Okay—Nice Jammies, I think the boys have the same pair".

Mouth scowled at Brooke as he began cleaning up the mess that he—she caused.

"Brooke it's four thirty—what are you doing"?

"Just sitting here, what about you"?

"Here," Mouth said. "What are you doing here? At my house—how did you get in"?

"Please, I have had a copy since you moved in," she told him sitting back waving her hand.

"I feel like asking how is going to open a portal I just don't want to go down so let's just get back to the why-why are you here at the ass crack of dawn"?

Brooke watched as Mouth tossed the remaining pieces from his coffee cup into the trash, as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Mouth walked over as he watched Brooke search through her phone, although he wasn't sure as to what for.

"Does this girl look familiar to you"? Brooke asked, finally turning her phone around.

Mouth lifted the phone and observed the picture on it, of a redheaded teenager. He studied the picture assuming he was being shown this particular picture for a reason, but if he did know the girl he just couldn't remember.

"No," Mouth said shaking his head. "You know who she reminds me of though"?

"Rachel"?

"Yeah," Mouth told her. "The hair color but the rest is—I'm confused. Brooke, it's so early if I'm supposed to be getting something you're just going to have to spell it out for me".

"This is Rachel's daughter".

"I never knew Rachel had a daughter" Mouth said, as he handed Brooke her phone back.

"I didn't either, but she did. I'm just going to ask it, I have never tried to pry into your personal life—actually, that's a lie and I don't care" Brooke said as she realized the words she spoke out loud. "This girl is fifteen, almost sixteen. She is a sophomore in high school—is there any way that she is your daughter? On her birth certificate, Rachel put you as her father—did you two sleep together"?

Mouth looked up, as though he needed help remembering but he didn't. He slowly walked around the counter and sat next to Brooke. "It was before we got to honey grove," he told her. "I never told anyone about it but—is that my daughter"?

"It's still Rachel, we all remember just how friendly she was," Brooke said. "She came here looking for her birth parents, it looks like she—Rachel, gave her up for adoption. That's all I know, she is at my house. Peyton is going to take her school and get her registered this morning when she takes the kids. But, this is Tree Hill and she has your last name—I came this early because people would start questioning and I didn't want them to before you knew".

"This can't be right" Mouth said, shaking his head. "No. It's not. It's not right, I don't have a teenaged daughter because Rachel would have told me, she would have at least had the decency to tell me. Wouldn't she"?

"I don't know, but—she has your exact eyes Mouth," Brooke told him. "I think—we should go to do a paternity test on you two, to be certain".

"If she is mine—what does this mean"?

"It means you have a daughter," Millie said as she stepped back into the kitchen, after hearing the conversation.

* * *

"Thank you," Peyton said.

Peyton Sawyer waved to the school secretary as she left the front office, quickly finding her way through the hallways—dodging one teenager after another. Perhaps she wasn't paying full attention to her surroundings, being in the rush she was in—or perhaps there were just too many teenagers to fully avoid them all. But, Peyton collided with one, hearing the loud sound a large number of books hit the hard ground.

"Oh, my god I'm sorry—Jamie," she said looking up into her nephew—former nephews eyes. "I'm sorry," she told him.

"It's alright," he said, smiling at her.

The bell rang, and suddenly they were the only two standing in the hallway.

"Oh, my god—you're late," Peyton said as she knelt down to help him gather his books. "It's all my fault, I can write you a note—".

"Honestly, it's fine," Jamie told her. "It's just chemistry. It is not like I can get into any more trouble".

"Oh, right now is your big grounding going"?

"I have six hundred and eighty-three hours left".

Peyton snickered as she picked a notebook up, not sure why she glanced down but she did. Her eyes scanned across the words that the page was open to.

"Here I'll take that—" Jamie said, reaching for his notepad.

Peyton jumped out of his reach, quickly, walking in the opposite direction as she continued to read what was on the page. "Jamie—did you write this"?

"It's nothing" he insisted. "I just jot things down from time to time".

Peyton began flipped through the large notepad, all the pages filled with words and rhymes.

"Are these songs"?

"Poems actually," he told her.

"They could pass for songs," Peyton told him. "I know professional songwriters that don't have songs this good—do you sing, too"?

"I mean I do—but just don't tell mom, okay? Or dad? Maddie doesn't even know about those".

"Would you consider writing for red bedroom—a few songs? I have a few artists that are looking for some songs—and Jamie you have some amazing talent".

"I don't know," he said shrugging. "I have never even thought of it as anything more than just something to pass the time".

"You would make a pretty little penny off of it—and you can put a hoax name. Think about it, stop by the label one day if you would like to. Poems and songs aren't that far of a stretch from each other".

"Exactly, how pretty of a penny"? Jamie asked. "Madison has been saving up forever to go visit her parents, and I have a saving myself for her".

"Well, it depends on a lot of different things the artist—if it's a single or if it's part of an album—or both, but a minimum of seven hundred to a thousand dollars," Peyton said, adding up in her head. "Every album or song that is made you make a profit even after you receive your large sum".

"Seriously"?

"What is with you teenagers and that damn word but—yes, seriously. Just think about it".

"And you wouldn't tell mom or dad"? Jamie asked her. "If I did, would you keep this between us"?

"Of course," Peyton said. "I can call your dad and tell him I need help with some things around the label, like moving furniture or something and I'm sure he would he let you stop by—he would probably think it's a great form of punishment if I'm being honest. It's always better when an artist works one on one with the writer".

"I have a doctors appointment today—and then basketball practice but maybe I could stop by tomorrow"? Jamie asked.

"Yes," Peyton said, far too eager for her taste.

"I better get to class".

* * *

Nathan was folding the blanket he spent the night curled up on the couch with on the couch, inside his office, when he heard a light peck at the door.

"Come in" Nathan called over his shoulder.

Clay stepped in "these need your signature—damn" he began until he saw the sight of his business partner. "You look rough, did you sleep here"?

"I'm in the dog house," Nathan said nodding.

"Oh, you pissed Haley off"?

"If that's what you want to call it—I got home and my door was locked".

"You have a key, Nate," Clay said sitting down. "It's your house, remember"?

"My bedroom door was locked—and I couldn't sleep, so I just came here and did some work".

"She locked the bedroom door"? Clay asked sitting down in Nathan's chair behind his desk, kicking his feet up. "You aren't in the dog house—you just signed a lease on it. Is this over Jamie"!

"Yes" Nathan said, nodding.

"I mean—I guess I get why she upset. When Logan does something he shouldn't if I find out or if it's something he does in front of me I'll send him to his room until she gets home and vise Versa. Then we discuss it and call him downstairs" Clay told Nathan.

"Normally when Haley and I fight you come in here with some witty comment but today—you're on her side"?

"Well, yeah—".

"My sixteen-year-old son went out and got a tattoo that takes up over half of his arm" Nathan began turning around to face Clay. "It's huge—".

"It's his body".

"Just a month ago you were sitting there preaching to me about how was mine. His phone—".

"It is," Clay said defensively holding his hands up. "Look, Nate—he lives in your house, he needs to abide by your rules. You pay for all the things he has, however, he is old enough to make certain decisions for himself. You weren't mad when you found out about the tattoo on his back".

"That's different".

"Why? Maybe because when he puts a shirt on you wouldn't even be able to tell? Because the whole team does it? Or both"?

"No, he went behind my back and got it".

"You're telling me that you never went behind your parents back"? Clay asked tilting his head. "I met Dan and I speak to Deb frequently—too frequently sometimes if I'm being honest, I would go behind their back now, and I'm not even there kid. He is a teenager, there are things he is going to tell you and things he is not going to tell you. You just have to get used to that, Nate—he was finally starting to open up to you and let you into his life. He was talking about sex with you, then you decided to go upstairs and act like this damn tattoo was Armageddon".

"I'm his father first, not his friend".

"And I respect that," Clay said. "But, that brings me back to the part about him opening up to you. He just walked down and told you—he knew you were going to be mad but he told you and Haley anyways, he did hide it for a while but then he decided to tell you. He could've kept hiding it but he didn't. That's because you and he were finally starting to see you as someone he could turn to—not just his dad. He saw you like Nathan, a man who used to be just like him. A teenager who made a lot of dumbass choices, but turned out to be a great man. He looks up to you Nate, more than you will ever realize".

Nathan sat down on the couch, utterly convinced that he had been friends with Clay way too long after thinking that everything he said made complete sense.

"I hate you, you know"?

"Yeah," Clay said nodding, smiling. "I know".

* * *

"Dawg".

"I know".

"Dawg".

"I know".

Mouth and Skills sat side by side at the bar inside of Skills home, halfway through a bottle of whiskey— not at work where either of them should be. In the same spot, they had been for three hours, since Mouth showed up on his best friends doorstep in a frenzy.

Mentally, of course.

Because, when Mouth arrived he was white as a ghost and didn't speak until he started replacing his blood count with alcohol levels.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you slept with Rachel," Skills said shaking his head as he poured more brown liquid into their cups.

Mouth sat with his head in his hands—that sat next to his forehead, looking as though he just watched The Shining for the first time. "I might have a teenaged daughter, and that's what you're worried about"?

"I'm just saying—it was Rachel" Skills said shrugging. "I mean she was no Rachel McAdams—but still—".

"Skills" Mouth said, sitting up gulping down the burning liquor in one giant drink and slamming his drink down. "She has my eyes".

Skills looked at the picture, nodding. "She has everything of yours, dawg. Except for the red hair—and the mouth—no offense".

"How could Rachel not tell me"? Mouth asked, sitting back into his seat his hands over his face. "I have had this living—breathing, a person that was part of me and I never knew about it".

"I—like Brooke said, this is Rachel we are talking about. Maybe she just put your name down as the father because it's the only one she knew and —" Skills said, and looked up to find Mouth staring at him, before picking the phone up and holding it up in his face. The picture of the teenager directly in his eyesight, there was no way to deny it. "Yeah—I didn't even believe that. Nah', Dawg that your baby. Maury ain't needed here".

"How can she just give my daughter up for adoption without consulting with me"?

"Why don't you call her and ask"?

"I don't have her number, I haven't spoken to her in years—and trust me right now I don't think she would like to hear what I have to say," Mouth told Skills. "She has been homeless, Skills. Brooke told me she ran away from a foster home when she was twelve, she has been on her own for three years when she had a family. She had a place to go".

"What did Millie say"?

"Well, she is handling it better than I am" Mouth said. "She is meeting Brooke and Lucy—that's her name, at the hospital to do the DNA test. She said it's best that we wait until that comes back for me to meet her. But, she is already contacting law enforcement to get custody—rather she is mine or not."

"Nah, she yours" Skills told him, as he continued looking at the picture. "It's like Mouth with breasts—you know you got a hell of a woman to be handling it the way she is? Right"?

"Yeah, she wants Lucy to be comfortable with her when the DNA tests come back—if she is mine—".

"Why does your ass keep saying 'if'? And why are you spending pointless money to find out"?

"To be able to legally get rights to her, I have to. I went this morning before I came here—Millie is already talking to everyone that needs to be spoken to. Rachel signed her rights away when she was a baby so that's not going to be an issue, but she still put my name on the birth certificate so I just have to prove paternity. She could just move in but where she ran away from a foster home years ago, they could just come and take her until I prove to a court that she is mine".

"You have a kid" Skills said. "Jamie's age".

"I sit here and think about all the times I was there for Jamie—everything we did with him and of course I don't regret it but I just think—there was a kid the exact same age out there, my kid. Who needed me to be doing that for her".

Skills looked at Mouth, he hadn't seen him so broken since Jimmie died. He normally could say just about anything to cheer his friend up, but not today. Not over this.

"I missed it," Mouth said, as he picked the whiskey bottle up taking a large drink out of it—not bothering to pour it into his glass. "She needed me, and I wasn't there".

"Yeah, but dawg—you can be there for her now. She still needs you. She hasn't had an easy childhood, damn—she hasn't had a childhood. So, give her one".

* * *

"Would you please stop staring at my penis"?

Lucas rolled his eyes at his nephew "it's an x-ray" he said turning around. "I just have never seen one bent that way before. It looks like a ninety-degree angle".

Jamie sat on the bed in the examination room, as they waited for his doctor. "Those are the pictures from when I was in the ER he will bring the ones they just took when he comes, don't make me regret asking you to bring me," he said pointing at his uncle.

"What were you going to bring? Your mom? Or dad"? Lucas asked, smiling.

Lucas had a point, Jamie would never want to sit in this room with his parents—bringing his uncle was bad enough. Embarrassing enough.

"I will be happy when I have to stop coming up here once a week," Jamie said running his hands through his shaggy hair, that was way past due for a hair cut. "It's nice having an excuse to miss moms class but I really hate having to get half-naked for a picture in front of two people—plus you. I don't see why they need to do this once a week".

"To make sure it's healing properly—do you really want it to heal looking like you can only make a right turn"?

Jamie flung himself back on the bed, as his uncle laughed. "Quit being so dramatic".

Before Jamie could respond the door opened, and he quickly sat up to see a woman in a white coat walk-in shutting the door behind her—smiling.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Osborn," she told the two boys.

"No, Doctor Osborn is—he is a he," Jamie said—panicking.

"That's daddy," she said, grinning. "He took my mom on vacation for their thirty-five year wedding anniversary so I have his cases right now. But, I have your X-Rays, and—".

"You looked at them"?

Lucas couldn't help but snicker at his nephew.

"Well, yes," she said hanging them on the wall next to his others. "And by the looks of it, you seem to be completely healed I just have to do a physical exemption".

"I'm sorry—what"? Jamie asked, his eyes wide. "Is that legal"?

Lucas covered his mouth to help from laughing, knowing the precise reason his nephew looked to be in pure terror.

"Yes," she told him. "I need you to drop your bottoms—your uncle can stand over here if that would make you more comfortable".

"I'm good over here".

The doctor nodded before quickly performing her examination, Lucas knew it was over when he finally heard his nephew let out the breath he was holding.

In fear—he assumed.

"Well, you check out," the doctor told Jamie as he zipped and buttoned his jeans. "Your X-Ray looks good and your penis—".

"Oh," Jamie said, his head falling into his hands—in utter shame, causing his uncle to chuckle as he stood behind the Doctor.

"Everything looks good," she told Jamie rubbing his arm.

"I thought it would take six to eight weeks"? Lucas asked.

Lucas asked because he knew Jamie could care less about anything after the traumatizing experience. In fact, he was sure Jamie wasn't paying attention to what was being said anyway.

"That's always an estimation," Doctor Osborn told Lucas. "Some people heal really slow and some heal quickly. Your son—".

"Nephew" Lucas corrected her.

"He has taken his medicine and treated the incision sight very well—you are free to perform any sexual activity—".

"Wait. Really"? Jamie asked, suddenly fully aware of the conversation being had about him.

"Yes," Doctor Osborn informed him, as Lucas chuckled lightly as his nephew's sudden change of attitude. "You're free to do whatever you want—I would be easy the first couple times, rather you're by yourself or have a partner but everything checks out".

"Thanks, Doc," Lucas said as she made her way towards the door.

"You two have a good day," she said, as she slipped out the door.

Lucas looked back at his nephew whose mood had quickly changed, as he swung an elbow down towards his hip—slightly resembling how a football player acts after achieving a touchdown.

"You do realize you're grounded"? Lucas asked him, watching his dancing quickly stop as his face dropped to the floor. "Your dad won't let you two be alone for a month".

"Damn it".

Lucas laughed as he opened the door and his nephew walked out—Luke following in behind him.

"Leave it to me to get grounded just days before I am cleared," Jamie said shaking his head. "I can still fix the problem myself, though. That's good news".

"You're such a teenager".

The Scott men made their way out of the doctor's office and to Lucas car—Jamie getting in on the passenger side as Lucas hoped in on the driver's side, starting his car and pulling away.

"Are you going to sneak around and try to have sex"? Lucas asked, genuinely curious as he drove—after glancing over at his nephew who was watching out the window.

"Probably not" Jamie answered him. "Sex is important to Maddie, and as badly as I want to have sex I want it to try and live up to her expectations plus it gives me a little more time to—I don't know, prepare"?

Jamie wasn't entirely sure that was the appropriate word for this situation but it was the one he went with.

"Prepare"? Lucas asked.

"I don't know uncle Luke—I want to have sex, trust me but there are things I have been a little nervous about".

"The thing we talked about—"?

"No" Jamie answered quickly. "Other things—at first I was nervous about our first time but then I started thinking after our first time there will be other times. We are in a long term serious relationship, so—I don't know—".

"Oh, Jamie spit it out on to impatient for this".

Jamie chuckled lightly "what if I end up being into things she isn't"? He asked.

"You mean like S&M"?

"Yeah," he said, twiddling with his fingers. "Or if she is into things that I'm not? Maddie and I are compatible in every way, what if we aren't during sex"?

"It takes a while to get your vibe down," Lucas told him. "And that's not just your first time, anytime you have sex with someone for the first time and you're in a relationship, but you learn. Together. That's what makes it fun. You meet each other halfway, I know it's different with Peyton than it was with Brooke—".

"What do you mean"?

"When Brooke and I had sex, we were kids. Teenagers. It was—amazing, actually but it was more adventurous. A little extra kinky—sexier, but with Peyton, while it was good, it was more traditional" Lucas told his nephew. "It varies from person to person, your age—a lot of things. I know your dad said he and Peyton got pretty intense because when they were together they weren't in a healthy relationship so it was always hate or makeup sex".

"That's disgusting".

"My point," Lucas said laughing "is that you two will learn each other's vibes, and you will. But, I wouldn't start out by telling her that you nearly got your rocks off when that female doctor touched your—".

"I did not" Jamie said, shaking his head.

"You was holding your breath, J Luke".

"The first time a woman touches me down there and it's a doctor. Life is not fair to me"

* * *

Nathan walked through the empty halls of Tree Hill high school, as he searched for his wife's classroom. There was a part of Nathan that wanted to turn around and leave before Haley knew he was here, but there was a bigger part of him that knew he needed to talk to his wife.

"Knock, knock," Nathan said, as he stood in the doorway of Haley's classroom, leaning against the frame.

Haley looked up, from grading the papers in front of we, before biting on her lip as she shook her head—at the sight of her husband. "I'm busy I don't have time for men who don't bother calling or coming home to his family at night".

"I came home last night," Nathan told her.

"You're wearing the same clothes as you were when you left yesterday morning," Haley said, without looking up.

"Hales, I came home" Nathan swore. "When I got there, the bedroom door was locked".

Haley stopped looking straight ahead, confused before she covered her mouth realizing that he was telling the truth. "I woke up this morning and Lydia was in the bed," she said looking over at him. "She must have locked the door—wait did you think I did it"?

"Yeah," Nathan said nodding. "You were pretty pissed, yesterday".

"Of course I was—I had a right to be," Haley said tossing her pen in front of her, her voice serious but not angry. "I would never lock you out of your bedroom. Even when I'm mad at you I wouldn't want us to sleep apart, ever since you got kidnapped I still want to kiss you goodnight and tell you I love you".

Nathan stepped into the classroom shutting the door behind him and walked over to her desk—leaning his back against it looking down at his wife. "Here," he said pulling a phone out of his pocket and handing it to Haley.

"What's this"? She asked him.

"Jamie's cell phone," he told her. "It's your choice to keep it or not".

"Nathan, that's not going to make this better" Haley told him as she stood up walking around her desk. "You made a decision without consulting with me, now giving this to me isn't going to help. The point is us making decisions together, not separately—regarding anything, not just the kids. When we made that bet over the summer I hated it, Nathan. I told you that at Tric on eighties night, I never wanted us to be divided again. But, then you get upset and you just make this decision by yourself and—".

"Okay," Nathan said standing up and turning around to face his wife. "I get it, I screwed up. I was just so mad".

"I was, too".

"You didn't seem so mad".

"Well, because I was even angrier at you".

"He got a tattoo—".

"Can we stop arguing about the damn tattoo—Without asking, yes" Haley interjected. "There is nothing we can do about that, now. We could get mad and throw things and have a nice fit but what good is that going to do? I don't like it any more than you do, and really it's not the tattoo that makes me so mad it's Jamie going behind my back—our backs, to do it. He is still a child and yes he needed to be disciplined but that was not something for you alone to decide on. That was meant to be a discussion with me—your wife".

Nathan looked at Haley, it was no secret that she was upset and he wanted to fix it. He wanted to make it all go away. But, he didn't know how. He stood up, running his fingers through what little hair he did have—thinking of anything to say that would help his current predicament.

"Do you want me to unground him"? Nathan asked. "I thought my punishment was fair—".

"It's not about being fair, it's about communication. You felt that disciplining him was more important than discussing it with me—and not once have you said that you're sorry".

Nathan stood with his hands on his hips, he considered apologizing but decided that after being told to do so it probably wouldn't help him right now.

"Because you're not sorry," Haley said, folding her arms. "You have no remorse about the situation. You don't believe that what you have done was wrong".

"Fine" Nathan said, nodding. "You're right I don't. He screwed up and I handled it when I work away you don't communicate with me on how you decide to discipline either of our kids—".

"Because you're not there," Haley said. "That's different when you're not there to speak with".

"I get that, I do—I'm trying so hard to understand what I did was so bad, Hales. But, I just don't see it like you and everyone else, apparently. Stop thinking about how I handled it for a second—is my punishment fair"? Nathan asked. "Did I overdo it? Is it something you would have agreed on"?

Haley glanced up at him, stopping for a second, if she was being honest she hadn't even thought about it. She went straight from being upset at her son to being upset at the two Scott men she shared a home with, but she never considered what she would have agreed on.

"When I'm not there I trust you—I trust that you make the right decisions when it comes to our children," Nathan said, walking over to her. "You're a good, great—freaking amazing mom. I know you will make the right choices about our kids, yes I should have talked to you but I asked you to handle Lydia while I spoke with Jamie—sometimes we have to divide and conquer" he told her with a small chuckle. "So, do you not trust me? Did I handle it badly? Or—do you think it's what we would have agreed on"?

"I mean, I do think it's fair," Haley told her husband. "I don't think you should have yelled at him, my parents—".

"Hales, you really have to stop comparing everything we do to how your parents raised you," Nathan told her taking her hand. "Your parents were wonderful parents, for you. But, we need to be wonderful parents for Jamie and Lydia—we aren't raising you, we are raising them".

"I still don't think you should have yelled".

"I'll remember that when Lydia is sixteen and she slams a door in your face," Nathan told his wife smiling. "Maybe I was a little hard on him but that's what dads do for their son's, I want to raise him to be a good man—".

"You will, we will".

"So, from now on I will talk to you first but if you're not home—"?

"I trust you to handle it yourself," Haley said, nodding. "I do, and maybe you're right about that divide and conquering thing. I just have always lead the way in Jamie's punishment. But, you're right—we have two children, both of whom need our undivided attention. But, there is two of us—so we communicate but maybe—there are something's that you handle alone with Jamie and something I handle alone with Lydia".

Nathan kissed his wife, the way he always kissed her when they made up from a fight.

"You know—I always had this... teacher fantasy," Nathan said as he lifted Haley up and sat her on her desk.

"Oh, yeah"?

Haley smiled as Nathan trailed his lips down his wife's neck and ran his hand up her leg.

"You're going to get me fired".

* * *

Brooke flipped through the magazine in her hand as she sat out in the waiting room next to Lucy, who had looked over her shoulder every two seconds, or so it felt like. The girls continued to wait, for what felt like forever.

"I'm so sorry I'm late" Brooke heard and looked up to see Millie rushing in. "Traffic was horrible, I hate this time of the day and I was on the phone with Jimmie's daycare—he might have a virus. You know how it is" she told Brooke as she sat down in the seat across from them.

"Mom life is the best life isn't it"? Brooke asked smiling as she sipped on her to-go cup of coffee. "Lucy this is Millicent—Millie, she is married to Mouth".

"Mouth"? Lucy asked confused.

"Your dad" Millie explained to her. "That's his nickname, everyone calls him that".

"They call him—Mouth"? She asked, raising an eyebrow—not entirely sure if the dark-headed woman in front of her was joking or not. But, the more time that passed the clearer it became They it was in fact not a joke. "Erm—why"?

"Well—" Brooke said smiling, but her face quickly dropped in confusion. "I have no idea. I have been friends with him for almost two decades and I actually don't have a clue—he has just always been Mouth".

"Come to think of it—I don't think I know either," Millie said, her facial expression meeting Brooke's. "I call him Marvin so I guess it never occurred to me, but I don't think I have ever heard anyone besides his parents call him Marvin".

"What about my mom"? Lucy asked, looking at them. "What did she call him"?

"Mouth" Brooke told her.

"Were they ever in love"?

"Your mom—" Brook said, thinking of her next words especially carefully. "Rachel—was a very 'loving' person—she spread it around for everyone to enjoy".

The teenager smiled, "will I get to meet my dad"?

"Oh, absolutely" Millie told her. "He is so excited to meet you".

Millicent was certain that was true, beneath the large portion of alcohol he husband had spent the day consuming.

"Then—why did they give me up"?

Brooke looked over at Millie who took Lucy's hand as she said "your dad didn't even know about you until Brooke came by this morning. Your mom never—she never told him. He has been pretty—distraught over it, not you but not getting a voice in the matter when it came to you. He was young, but if he had known I believe Marvin would have chosen to keep you. Brooke sent him a picture and he hasn't taken his eyes off of it all day, you have the best man in the world for a father. I know this because of how he is with our son—your baby brother, actually".

"I have a brother"?

"Yes" Millie said nodding pulling her phone out and holding the phone up with a picture of a smiling baby across the screen. "This is Jimmie, he is eighteen months old".

"Oh, my gosh" Lucy said, as she took the phone getting a better look at the picture. "He is adorable. I can't believe I have a little brother".

Brooke and Millie smiled at each other as they both watched Lucy look at the picture—smiling from one ear to the other.

"Lucy"? Millie asked out loud, successfully gaining the teenager's attention. "Once all this is taken care of and put off to the side—what's, what do you want the outcome to be"?

"What do you mean"? She asked sweetly.

"I think she means what do you want to happen"? Brooke explained to her. "After you meet your dad—you can continue to live with me or you can move in with your dad. We want you to be comfortable and we just want to know what you want"?

"Oh," Lucy said, semi smiling. "I don't know" she answered them. "When I started looking for my parents three—almost four years ago I never thought of what would happen once I met them. It was always just a fantasy—".

"Hold on," Millie said, interrupting her new stepdaughter. "You have been looking for your parents for four years"?

"Yes," she answered. "I lived in Bellingham, Washington when I ran away from my foster home. I—well I stole what little money was in my foster mom's purse, it wasn't much. About two hundred dollars I got on a bus that took me to California and—".

"Wait," Millie said, interrupting her once more—this time with a tear falling out of her eye and a croak in her voice. "It took you four years to get here, where did you stay and how did you get here".

"Well, I stayed in homeless shelters sometimes and would stop by soup kitchens. I would always wait and walk into the homeless shelters with a family or an adult—so no one would call the police and report me, I just couldn't go back. It took time and I did a lot of walking—I honestly don't even know if they ever reported me missing. Today was my first day in school in so long, I forgot what it was like to be around kids my own age".

Brooke felt a tear roll down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

"My mom—the woman who adopted me was wonderful and my birth mother left me with the best possible but she died in a car accident when I was six, I was with her and I lived. She always wanted to be a mother but she was a doctor so she never really settled down, and when she died I didn't have anywhere to go and that's when I was placed in the foster system".

"Oh," Brooke said, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "Sweet girl".

"Listen," Millie said, fighting the tears that sat in her eyes—wanting to fall down her cheeks. "I promise you will never have to worry about that again, Marvin and I—it's confusing for you and him both, but once you meet him we can talk about all of it. If you feel more comfortable staying with Brooke or you can live with me and your dad it's entirely up to you".

"Thank you," Lucy said. "Do—do you have a picture of my dad on here"?

"Do I"? Millie ask out loud—teasingly as she took the phone before handing it back.

Lucy looked down at the picture that had the same baby that was on the previous picture laying across the floor—presumably their living room, with his hands wrapped around a man.

"That—that's my dad"?

"Yes, that's Marvin".

Lucy wiped the tears off of her face, as she continued to look at the picture.

"McFadden" they all heard and stood up.

"Oh," the nurse said as the three approached. "There is only enough room for two—which one is her guardian"?

"She is," Lucy said, taking Millie's hand. "She is my stepmom".

* * *

"Damn," Madison said, as she leaned stepped around the last row of lockers inside the boy's locker room, where Jamie was standing next to his personal locker. "Check out that ass".

Jamie dropped his head, laughing, as the two stood alone.

"Hey, come here," Jamie said taking his girlfriend's hand pulling her to him and pressing his lips lightly to hers. "I love you".

"I love you".

"Not that I'm not excited to see you but what are you doing here"? He asked.

"I was running a delivery and saw your car still parked here," Madison told him. "What are you doing here, didn't your practice end thirty minutes ago"?

"Yeah," Jamie said. "I stayed a little longer, I always stay a little longer".

"Doesn't your grounding effect that"?

Jamie shrugged as he looked down at Madison "If it does dad didn't mention it".

Jamie leaned down to kiss her but she turned her face away from him. When he realized what had happened Jamie looked down at Madison, confused.

"How did you doctors appointment go earlier"? She asked, looking up at him.

"Fine, I was cleared for sexual activity," he told her.

"Is that why you're in such a good mood"?

"Of course, nothing will probably happen for another month," he said as he sat down on the bench pulling her into his lap, with her legs on either side of him straddling him. "Us being alone right now is sheer luck, and I highly doubt this is the time or place for our first time".

"Yeah—sweaty boys locker room doesn't exactly scream romantic does it"?

Jamie smiled as he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "What are you smiling about"? He asked her.

"I can't believe I was actually considering—other things," she said covering her face.

"Other things? For what"?

Madison's face turned bright red as her eyes diverted away from him. "For—you, to help with your—angry attitude. Chuck and Andre told me what was wrong with you".

"Was it that obvious"?

"I didn't know—but apparently to them it was".

"Lovely" Jamie said resting his forehead against Madison's chest. But, his embarrassment quickly subsided as it ran through his mind once more the words she had just said to him. "What exactly were you considering"? He asked without looking up and instead continued to stare into her lap.

Madison laughed as she ran her fingers through Jamie's hair on top of his head. "A couple of different things—I told you I wanted to work our way up to sex so I considered doing other things—".

"Actually," Jamie said looking up taking both of her hands in his "I wanted to talk to you about that—you were telling me about a picture you took for me? You couldn't show it to me because we were in class".

"I'm guessing we are talking about the one where I'm not wearing any clothes"?

"Yeah," Jamie said smiling. "Save it, I don't want to see it".

Madison looked at him, her face and feelings—both hurt.

"Oh, no," Jamie said reaching up to cup the side of her face. "I want to see it, but I don't want to see you naked for the first time on a phone. I want to see you in person—the first time we are together, not before and not on a phone. I mean after our first time that's different, send me as many as you want. The more the better—".

Madison laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where is all this coming from"?

"I talked to my uncle today and it was something he said to me—I want to experience everything with you. You were my first kiss, my first love, you have been my first everything Maddie—and my only. That will apply to sex, too. But, I don't want to experience this for the first time over the phone or try a bunch of different things and then have sex—as much fun as that sounds right now. I want to have sex with you first and then work from that. Not the other way around. I'm going to do everything in my power to make this as special for you as I can—".

Madison kissed him, and when she leaned away he was looking at her—staring at her. "Just when I think I have you figure out James Scott," Madison said.

"Sex with you—is going to be amazing," Jamie told her. "But, I'm not rushing it anymore. It will happen—we have the rest of our lives to have sex, it will be the icing on the cake to our relationship but it's not the whole cake".

"I love you, so much".

"Out of curiosity—What were you going to do"? Jamie asked.

Madison leaned her head back, laughing "I got some advice from Brooke and I was going to—".

"Brooke"?

"Yes" Madison said. "I talk to her a lot, I talk to her about things—things that maybe I should be talking to you about".

"Like"?

Madison shut her eyes tightly and hit down on her lip before saying "I'm nervous. I want to have sex, no question about that but I'm nervous about being naked in front of you. I'm actually even more nervous about—seeing you naked".

"Oh" Jamie said. "Why are you nervous"?

"I know you have seen naked women Jamie—I know you have watched porn. But, I—have never seen a naked man. Not on TV or anything" Madison admitted to him. "I literally have no idea what I'm working with—down there," she said pointing to the area below his waist. "Unless you look like the Skelton man on page sixteen of our health book, anything else is going to be a surprise for me".

"That actually bodes well for me," Jamie said laying back, balancing on himself on his elbows as he looked up at Madison. "That means you won't have any high expectations, I'd hate to be a let down".

Madison threw her head back, laughing.

"As for you—baby, you're already so sexy to me. That is something you don't need to worry about, at all. I promise".

"I'm certain I don't look like the girls in the videos or magazines you have seen," she said looking down.

"How much porn do you think I watch"?

"I don't know," she said shrugging. "A lot? I know that you can't go three weeks without some sort of sexual gratification without becoming pissed off at the world".

Jamie sat up, quickly, taking her by surprise wrapping his arms around her waist—tightly holding her against him. "Anytime I have seen any type of porn it's something Chuck has showed me or sent me—most of the time it has been something incredibly stupid" he informed her. "I don't use porn when I do that".

"Then how do you—".

"I have always just fantasized—about you. You're the only girl I want".

For the first time since Madison knew she was ready to take the next step with Jamie, she felt a sense of stress leave her shoulders.

* * *

"Well, Well. Peyton Sawyer—as I live and breathe".

Peyton—who was in the frozen food aisle of Tree Hill's local supermarket, turned around to see Jake—her high school boyfriend. She smiled as he as was walking towards her with a shopping basket around his hand.

"Oh, my god," she said smiling, blinking her eyes a couple of times as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "How did you know it was me? You can't judge someone by the back of their head, you know? There are other women in Tree Hill with hair the same color as mine".

"Very, true. However, I would recognize those chicken legs anywhere. It's been nearly twenty years and your bottom half still looks the same".

Peyton scoffed, "my c-section scar tells a different story".

"Come here," Jake said before leaning down and giving his former high school flame a giant bear hug, which she rather enjoyed. "I heard about the divorce, I'm sorry".

"Oh, don't be," Peyton told him, honestly. "When he first told me that was what he wanted—it hurt. My ten year old consoled me when I got back into bed that night, but—everything we were doing was just prolonging the inevitable and now—it is only been a couple of days it really felt like a giant weight is off my shoulders. I spoke with my lawyer today and Lucas isn't trying to get any money from my label—I'm not wanting the money he made off of his books. So, far it's been pretty civilized as we get the papers drawn up".

"Considering you two have a child, that's wonderful. I know too many couples that have drug their children through court after court over pettiness".

"It's still early on so don't hold your breath that it will remain this way, but that's the hope. We have spent so long fighting its difficult—but now we don't have anything to fight over and that feels nice—I can't explain it, I should be sad to see my marriage end but I'm just not".

Jake smiled at her, and maybe he was smiling just to smile but Peyton caught a glimpse of herself through one of the glass doors and seen that she was smiling. At first, she wasn't sure it was her—it looked like her. The blonde hair, the outfit, and even her damn chicken legs—but the smile looked so foreign on her face. But, it was—she was happy for the first time in what felt like centuries because she meant the words that she said.

It really was a giant weight off her chest.

"I heard you and I are going out with Nathan and Haley this Saturday" Jake told Peyton, smiling at her. "To points unknown—I believe are the exact words Mrs. James Scott told me".

Peyton shook her head, "it's a restaurant in Charleston and a play after that, that's why she told you to be ready so early in the day. We have a three-hour drive before we get there—but Haley insists that this play is worth the drive" she told him.

"And you're wanting to go to a play—Nathan told me it is more like a broadway musical. You're wanting to go"? Jake asked her. "I just never pictured you going and sitting down watching something like that".

"Believe it or not—I can't wait," she said. "I spent so many years traveling—it's been so long since I just got out and did something with friends. I spent the last year with the kids, Brooke, and Lucas—anytime I went somewhere with them I always just felt like a third wheel. It's a long story, but I'm really looking forward to it. Nathan is making Jamie—his oldest, babysit—and Brooke is making him, too. She has a couple of things going on with Mouth that will have her tied up this weekend so instead of partying like a normal sixteen-year-old he will be watching three kids. I personally want to hack into the baby monitors to watch".

Jake laughed, "I can't wait".

* * *

"Took you long enough," Lily told Madison as she walked back into the café. "That was the longest drive ten miles up the road I have ever seen—unless you didn't just drive up the road".

"I made a small pit stop," Madison said, as she walked behind the counter opening the register to put the money inside. "You seem to have managed just fine".

"Well, obviously because I'm like Mary Poppins—practically perfect in every way".

"My eyes just fell out of my head".

Lily laughed as she grabbed a dust rag before walking over towards the table in the corner of the store—and began clearing the table and cleaning it.

"What's going on down the street"? Lily heard Madison ask, to no one in particular just out of curiosity.

Lily looked up and walked over next to Madison, the two both looked—as a crew stood around at the cemetery, digging.

Madison turned around to face Lily at the noise of glass breaking, to find that she had dropped the cup in her hand.

"No," Lily said shaking her head. "That—that's my dads. What are they doing"?

Madison didn't have time to respond before her co-worker stormed out of the store.

Lily pushes off with her feet, as fast as she could. It was the first time she never stalled or hesitated when she got to the gates of the graveyard but instead flew right past them and up the small hill. She prayed that she saw it wrong, she was so far away—but the closer she got the clearer it became, she did not see it wrong.

"Stop" Lily called to the large group of me. "Stop"! She screamed.

Lily was surprised that they did in fact stop and even the large yellow machine—that she didn't know the name to turn off. Everyone turned, looking at her like she was a crazy person—which she was, but not today.

"Excuse me, Misses—but you can't be up here with the heavy equipment," one of the men said walking over towards her.

"No—what are you doing? You can't do that—that's my dads. You need to stop, why are you doing that"? She asked, in a frantic unable to stop and breath for a minute. "You need to stop! You all need to stop. You can't just do that—why are you doing that? You need to stop! Why are you doing that—"?

Lily wasn't sure when Madison had joined her but her best friend was standing beside her, so she assumed she followed her over.

"Calm down," Madison said putting her hands on Lily's shoulders. "Excuse me—big man in the hard hat, what's going on here? Is there a reason that you're digging her father's—grave up"?

"Erm—" the man said awkwardly looking over his shoulder at his crew. "Orders—from the hospital".

"For what reason"? Madison asked before Lily had the chance.

The man looked at Lily, being uncomfortably clear that he knew more about the situation than the teenager in front of him. "The man—who was buried here, isn't who is supposed to be here".

"Then where is my dad buried"? Lily asked, crossing her arms.

"Erm—apparently, well Miss. Scott—".

"What"? Lily yelled at the man. "What is going on"?

The man pulled his hard hat off and ran his fingers through his hair very nervously. "Your dad has turned up alive, he is at the hospital now. That's why I have been ordered to do this, there is a bus over there to send this body to the morgue to identify who it was but your dads alive—".

"No," Lily said shaking her head profusely. "That's not possible. You have the wrong person, you have to! I would have known if my father was alive".

Lily made a point, so the man pulled a clipboard out but found—that she was still incorrect.

"Keith Allan Scott—is that your—"?

"Yes," she answered quickly and her deeply filled with agitation.

"May I"? Madison asked pointing to the clipboard.

The man nodded and handed it to the teenager not entirely sure if it was legal or not. She quickly scanned over it, finding no mistakes—but her eyes couldn't hide from one specific part on the piece of paper.

"Lily, your brother signed off on this" Madison said her voice low—as if she hated to be the very one to inform Lily of this new piece of information.

"Lucas"? She asks jerking the clipboard out of her friend's hand. "No, that can't be—right," she said the last word, lower than the rest as she realized that Madison was.

Lucas signature sat next to Nathan's, at the bottom of the page—across from another man's, presumably a doctor.

Madison looked at Lily, who seemed as though she might pass out. She quickly took the clipboard and handed it back to the man "we are so sorry for the inconvenience" Madison told him. "Please, continue we will be leaving".

"My—apologies," he told Lily, unaware of what else to say to the young girl.

Madison led Lily from the graveyard back to the outside of the cafe.

"I have to get to the hospital," Lily said in a monotone voice.

Madison wasn't sure if she was stunned or if she felt so many different emotions that she just couldn't show them, but whatever it was she was having trouble seeing how friend was dealing with this.

"Okay" Madison said. "I need to get back into the café I can't believe I left it unsupervised but here are my car keys, go".

"Thank you".

Lily ran to Madison's car and left. She drove quickly from one destination to the other, and as she pulled in she was pretty sure it was in record time. She parked and darted out of the car, not even sure if she turned the car off until she noticed the keys in her hand as she walked through the door.

"Erm—Keith Scott" Lily said as she walked up to the desk that a woman sat behind.

As she waited, she thought that it just had to be a mistake. It had to be.

"Floor seven, room seven Zero Six," the woman told her smiling.

But, it wasn't. This wasn't a mistake.

Although, as she made her way up the hospital inside the elevator her mind kept trying to convince her it was. There was no way her father—that he was alive. There was no that her brother didn't tell her. There was no way this was happening.

Lily made her way through the hospital and stood outside the door that held the answers she needed. She didn't stop for even a second, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The first person she saw was a blonde woman sitting by a bed, and in the bed laid a man.

"Oh, my god" Lily said clutching her stomach as though she might vomit.

"Lily"? Deb asked standing up.

"It's true—I don't understand".

Deb made her way to the teenager, or what was left of her, as she crumbled into the floor like a piece of paper.

"Shh," Deb said as she sat next to her on the floor. "It's alright, you're alright".

"I don't understand—I don't understand".

Lily sat in the arms of Nathan's mom in the floor of her father's—her father who was alive, hospital room tears flooding down her face uncontrollably.

* * *

_**And it's time for my incredibly long Author's note :)**_

**_ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, first thing I'm going to say about it... is... it is incredibly difficult to make talking about masturbation scene romantic... at all! _**

**_ While we are on the topic of the teens, Lily found out and probably not the way she should have. But, she knows and it's really going to put her and Lucas at arts, for quite some time. But, there is someone who will take her under their wing. Little hint, it was the person by Keith's side. _**

**_Yup. Deb. Believe it or not they will really bond. _**

**_If all goes accordingly Keith surgery will be in maybe two or three chapters. So, it's getting close. _**

**_There was no Brucas in this chapter but Brooke has a vital role with Most of the teenagers, and I will give you a little hint on this but this one I am not answering. She will end up adopting one of the teenagers. ;) _**

**_Now, on to the adults Nathan and Haley made up and while they don't exactly see eye to eye over this matter, they are trying._**

**_I tried my best to capture Skills and Mouth, They had such an amazing friendship in the show I wanted to do my best with that and I hope that I did. I'm slowly adding more characters, I don't want my story to be completely chaotic and hard to follow because there are so many different storylines, so it's all about balance. But, slowly I'm adding more and more characters. _**

**_But, just because Lucy has appeared, don't expect Rachel anytime soon. But, that's not to say she won't appear later on. But, for now she is not part of the story yet. _**

**_ Lucy's story is actually based off of someone I personally know, but she never located her birth parents so I change the ending of it. Maybe Life imitates art?_**

**_ I have a chapter ahead that I think you are really going to like if you are a fan of the storm episode (which lets face it was one of the best.) A couple things have to happen first but I think you'll really like that chapter, it's going to put all the big issues away for and will be full of Naley, Jeyton, Brucas, & Madison and Jamie ( they don't have a ship name lol)._**

**_ I'm actually really excited to get started on that chapter, but quite a few things have to happen between now and then._**

**_Now, I'm going to try and answer a few questions I seen, that I can without giving anything away. _**

**_Yes, I absolutely read every review. They are what keeps me writing and updating so quickly._**

**_For those asking about the younger kids, they will be in the next chapter, all of them and not just mentioning's. So, you will learn more about them in the next chapter. And hopefully I will answer all of your questions. _**

**_When asked about Lily having a mother figure or mentor or parental role, that answer is in the hint that I really gave away above. It's an unlikely bond, but it's one I think you will enjoy. Lily is so much fun to write, she is very upbeat and knows what she wants and she isn't shy about it and who does that really walk hand-in-hand with? Deb. of course she has all three of the core females, but having someone to look up to has always been Lucas for her. Now, feeling betrayed by her brother is going to change that quite a bIt._**

**_Thanks for reading! Leave a review! _**

**_ In the next chapter you can look forward to taking a step back from the whole Madison and Jamie sex storyline and this will be the first chapter that kind of focuses on them as individuals. Instead, Madison is going to spend most of the chapter bonding with Brooke, while Jamie spends the evening babysitting three children. Nathan & Haley go out with Peyton and Jake, although Haley is calling in a double date rather that's what it is or not. But, there will be some trouble arise. Lucy will meet Mouth. While Lucas spends the evening with an unlikely source as Deb and Lily get to k now One another . _**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer : I don't own the rights to anything Except the storylines.**_

**_ This is part one of two different chapters. _**

* * *

"Madison"? Haley asked, confused by the teenager's presences as she stood in the doorway. "Come on".

Madison stepped over the threshold, to find Nathan sitting on the couch watch television and Jamie sitting at the table—doing what looked to be his homework. The Scott men shared a glance, Nathan presumably seeing if Jamie knew she was going to stop by but found his son just as shocked as he was.

"I know it's so late," Madison said, as Haley shut the door behind them. "But, I was wondering if someone could give me a ride home".

"Is something wrong with your car"? Jamie asked, sterling into the living room—having got up from the kitchen table.

"No, I let Lily borrow it and she never came back," Madison told him. "Your house is much closer than mine, and I prayed one of you was still awake as I closed the café".

"I thought she worked the same shift as you—where did Lily go"? Haley asked Madison.

"The hospital—we were working and there were some construction workers over at the graveyard digging her dad up but I guess it wasn't her dad—".

"Oh" Nathan said, his eyes wide. "She found out about Keith"?

"I thought Uncle Luke was going to tell her"? Jamie asked his father.

"He was, but I guess he didn't get around to it—".

"Hold on," Madison said interrupting the two men. "You knew"? She asked her boyfriend, who nodded slowly. "And you didn't tell her"?

"Luke asked me not to".

"Okay, so what about me"? Madison asked, folding her arms. "You didn't think to tell me—Lily is my best friend, her dad is alive and you didn't tell me"?

"Oh, don't do that," Jamie said, holding his hand up shaking his head. "It's almost midnight, I'm not up for where this heading—I had basketball practice and then I had to change the oil in my car and I still have to finish my history report don't make this an argument, I was asked to make certain that Lily didn't find out until Uncle Luke told her and I just thought—".

"So, you thought you couldn't trust me"?

"I never said that," Jamie said holding his hands up in defense. "Baby, I never said that—I trust you".

"So, why didn't you tell me? That's a pretty large piece of information that you kept from me—".

"Oh, my god—Maddie. Please, stop. This was not my information to share".

"It concerns your family, which for years you have told me I was apart of—unless that was a lie"?

"What's happening here"? Jamie asked, running his hand down his face. "Is it your time of the month or something"?

"Oh, God," Nathan said, as he sunk down into his recliner gulping down his beer.

"Excuse me"? Madison asked, walking near Jamie—her face red and her eyes narrowing at her boyfriend. "I'm a woman—and I'm upset so it must be that? Is that it"?

Jamie, lost—confused, and to be honest complete frightened looked around the room, his eyes looking at his father first.

"Oh, hell no," Nathan said, as he opened another beer. "I can't help you" he whispered. "That was straight out of dumbass 101".

"I didn't say that—I just meant that—you are clearly upset—".

"I clearly am but just because I'm upset doesn't mean I'm on my period" Madison yelled at him. "Just because you have one doesn't mean you need to be a dick".

Jamie paused, and once more put his foot in his mouth when he said: "isn't that really the same thing I just asked you—but in reverse"?

Nathan moaned—as if he was watching a movie he just didn't want to watch because he knew how it ended, and he tapped his head against the neck of his beer bottle.

"You know," Haley said, shaking her head—as she intervened before there was a blood bath in her living room, knowing how late it was and she just didn't want to clean up the mess. "I'll drive you home, Maddie".

"Thank you, Haley," Madison said.

The two women waltzed out the door, but not before Madison shot Jamie a dirty look as she did so.

Jamie plopped down in the middle of the couch and ran his hands up and down his legs, still confused as he watched the headlights of his moms car disappear through the window.

"I'm just curious—do you hear yourself when you talk or is it just like radio static"? Nathan asked as he muted the television. "Son, I love you and I think you're a very smart young man—but that was the dumbest thing you could have ever done".

* * *

"Hey, this is Lily—leave it at the beep" Lucas heard through the speaker once again.

"Hey, where are you? I'm starting to get worried" Lucas said, leaving his sixth message of the night on his sister's voicemail. "It's ten till one, and you got off work at eleven, if you could just let me know that you're—".

Lucas heard the door open and turned his head around the corner to see his baby sister shutting the door behind her. He quickly ended the call he was on and rushed to the living room.

"Are you okay"? Lucas asked as he approached Lily, who looked physically fine—emotionally a mess.

"Yeah," she said, sniffling looking up at her brother, with bloodshot eyes from the number of tears she had shed in the past six hours of her life.

"You don't look fine—what's going on"?

"Nothing" she snapped at her brother.

"You come home over an hour past curfew and you look—".

"How long have you known my dad is alive"?

Lucas froze, and he swallowed hard as he looked down at Lily, her appearance suddenly making perfect sense. "Did Jamie tell you"?

Lily looked as though she had been stabbed in the heart at her brother's question. "Jamie—he knew"?

Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, nervously "I was just trying to protect you. I wanted to get more answers before I told you, I'm—I'm sorry".

"No," Lily said, through her teeth. "You don't get to do that! He was—is not your dad, he is mine! How dare you, how dare you keep this from me. This was not your right! I hate you"!

"Lily".

"No" she screamed, looking at her brother. "I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you. At least now I know what he felt like—when he was shot. I know how he felt to be betrayed by his own flesh and blood—mom was wrong. She always told me that we both took after him but she was wrong. I'm like my dad—and you like yours. You are just like Dan Scott".

Lily turned on her heel to storm away, to her room or the end of the universe she wasn't sure, but Lucas grabbed her wrist—not allowing her to move.

"Lily, I can explain—".

"I don't care what your excuse is—you should have told me" Lily yelled jerking her wrist out of her brothers grasp and hitting him in the chest with the palms of her hands—and again. And again. "I hate you, Lucas—I hate you".

Lucas wrapped his arms around his sister in an attempt to contain his sister's abuse, but he failed.

At first.

Lily pushed away from Lucas with all the strength a sixteen-year-old girl could, and turned facing away from him, but he never let go of her.

"I hate you," Lily said, breaking down in tears giving in to fighting her brother off leaning her back against him. "I never want to see you again—I hate you, so much".

"I didn't do this to protect you," Lucas told her, as Lily heard him sniffle—but refused to admit that her brother was capable of crying."I needed to get answers first and he still has surgery—I didn't want to tell you if he didn't make it out of it".

"And that's exactly why you should have told me," Lily said, finally releasing herself from Lucas grasp, turning back around to face him. "You knew your dad—despite the type of person he was. I deserved to know about mine, Keith is my dad. You're not. I'm going to the hospital and I'm not leaving until he does. I will stay there with Deb, I only came here because I borrowed Madison's car and she is asleep. I'm picking her up in the morning and then I'm going back—and I'm not leaving".

"You have school, Lily".

"I don't care—I'm not losing another minute with my father".

* * *

**One and a half day later. Saturday. Mid-day.**

* * *

"Here is her bag," Lucas told Deb as he handed her a small duffel as they stood in the hall of the hospital. "How is she doing"?

"She hasn't left his side," Deb told him. "Only when she has to go to the bathroom, we both showered in the resident's locker room".

"Okay, and she is eating"?

Deb nodded, "We both have a love for Japanese food," she told him.

Lucas nodded—listening to her talk as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"It's going to be okay," Deb said, rubbing Lucas' arm. "She is upset—but she will get over it. I promise".

"She compared me to Dan—I have never been compared to Dan except for my heart condition".

"You act like you wasn't once a teenager that would say the most hurtful thing to your mom when she pissed you off," Deb told him. "Lily is sixteen and she is hurt. She just found out her dad, who she thought was dead for sixteen years is alive and—".

"I should have been the one to tell her. She shouldn't have found out—not like that".

Deb looked up at Lucas who stood taller than her knowing there were a million different things she could say but until Lily forgave him if she forgave him, would he ever be able to forgive himself. Therefore none of the things inside Deb's head were going to help him, not right now.

"Go home, Lucas" Deb said rubbing his arm once more for comfort. "Try to get some rest, and try to not be so hard on yourself".

She said it like it was possible, but knowing that it wasn't.

Deb lightly hugged Lucas before walking away and making her way back to Keith's hospital room. Lily laid on the visitor's couch in the corner, flipping through channels on the television.

"Your brother—he brought this" Deb said walking in sitting the duffel bag down on the small table in the corner.

"Did you tell him what I asked"? Lily asked as she turned the muted the volume tossing the remote to the side.

"No," Deb said sliding her hands into her back pocket. "I opted not to tell him to crawl up his own ass and die".

"Shame".

Deb walked around the bed that unconscious Keith laid in, pulling the chair that sat next to the bed, placing it in front of the couch, and sitting down in it—looking at Lily. She took her hand with her left and rubbed the top with her right.

"I know you're upset with Lucas—but—".

"There is no but, there is no excuse for what he did," Lily said, fighting the tears in her eyes. "None. Zero. Zilch. Naught—".

"I got it," Deb said letting go of her hand as she sat back in her chair. "So, what's your logic in being angry with Lucas and still speaking to me? What I did is much worse"!

"Not the way I see it," Lily said, folding her arms. "Whose to say if you haven't done what you did then Dan could have proceeded in killing him. He could have bribed a doctor or hired a hitman or something".

"Oh, to be inside a teenagers mind," Deb said. "When you picture Dan is surrounded by a large Mafia or the cast of The Godfather"?

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Lucas meant well—he was just trying to protect you".

"He should have told me. Period".

Deb day back, knowing it was like arguing with a wall.

"You know, you're a lot like Keith".

"I am"? Lily asked, her face lightening up. "How"?

"Stubborn and sarcastic".

* * *

"Are you ready—yet"? Haley asked Peyton as she continued sitting in the living room of the house her two best friends shared, flipping through a magazine Brooke had lying on the table. "I've seen your wardrobe—it's ninety percent black, either way, you're going to look like you're going to a funeral".

"Got to love the support of close friends and family" Peyton called sarcastically from the other room.

Haley tossed the magazine to the side and stood up walking around the couch. "It's ten past two, and we have reservations at four".

"Why are we leaving so early again"?

"We are eating at the restaurant before we go to the play" Haley explained. "And the play starts at seven, we have to get there on time—but when you include ordering food, waiting on food, eating, leaving, driving from the restaurant to the theater which takes forty-five minutes, parking— factoring in an extra thirty minutes in case of some unforeseen circumstance we will arrive precisely at six fourth seven".

"If you are this organized in every aspect of your life, I really feel bad for Nathan," Peyton said, as she walked out of her bedroom. "Missionary at twenty hundred hours, done by twenty-ten," she said pumping her fist across her chest. "Solid work—same thing tomorrow night".

Peyton who was smiling, because she thought her joke was simply hilarious, looked across from her at Haley—who was not smiling.

Instead, Haley stood with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed at Peyton—"do you think you're cute"? She asked, raising an eyebrow at her blonde friend.

"I'm adorable".

"You look like you're in mourning, but let's go".

* * *

"Alright," Nathan said walking into his bedroom followed by Jamie, who looked completely displeased by the afternoon he had ahead of him. "Emergency numbers are—".

"Nine one, one"? Jamie asked leaning against his parent's wall folding his arms.

"On the refrigerator," Nathan said as he slapped his watch on his wrist. "I left money for—".

"Drugs"?

"Food. The twins aren't big on pizza and Jude is lactose intolerant—don't forget that. He will be sick all night" Nathan told him. "And make sure to put Lydia's pull-ups on her before she goes to bed—she will argue with you and try to fight you on it, especially with Sawyer here but she is not to go to bed without it".

"Would you like a pen and paper, dear father"?

"Stop being a smart ass," Nathan said, snapping and pointing a finger at his father.

"It's not fair," Jamie said. "You all have sex and I have to give up my Saturday to watch your offsprings".

"Exactly, what did you have planned"? Nathan asked as he stepped into his closet in search of a jacket. "You're grounded".

"I planned not to spend twelve hours with three kids"! Jamie said. "You didn't even ask me"!

"Do you see my face"? Nathan asked leaning out of his closet pointing at his face. "This is me not caring".

Jamie rolled his eyes as his father stepped back into the closet.

"Dad it's not fair—I'm sixteen I shouldn't have to spend an entire night watching Disney and being stuck in the middle of an argument who is better Superman or Batman," Jamie said as Nathan walked back out of the closet sipping a jacket he had settled in for the night. "Which of course there is no question about".

Nathan nodded.

"Batman," the father and son both said, in union—the only thing the two seemed to agree upon.

"Can't you find someone else"? Jamie nearly begged. "Please? I'll wash your car for—a month? I'll do the dishes and—".

"You're doing all that for a month anyway," Nathan said smiling. "Face it, you have no bargaining chip. And" he said pointing a finger directly in his sons face "that car better not leave the driveway. I mean it unless there is an emergency. You order your food. You are not to have any company—or be on the phone".

"Dad".

"I mean it, James, I find out otherwise and you'll get an extra two wee—make that a month," Nathan told him crossing his arms. "And remember we have nanny cams, I can check anytime your mom has an app on her phone".

"God," Jamie said. "You just love ruining my life, don't you? I swear I hate it here".

"So, do I—who do we talk to about that"? Nathan asked, smiling as he rested a hand on each side of his son's shoulders.

Jamie tore away from his father and stormed out of his parent's bedroom swinging his foot up tapping their door frame lightly, leaving his dad alone.

"I swear—That boy is going to be the death of me," Nathan said as he grabbed his wallet and left.

* * *

"But, you'll go in with me"? Lucy asked as Brooke drove.

It felt as though Brooke had been driving forever, to Lucy, when in reality Mouth lived less than fifteen minutes away. She watched the trees as they passed, each one looking more like a blur than the last.

"Of course I will," Brooke told her.

"What do I call him? Mouth or Marvin"?

"That's up to you," Brooke told her.

"What if we have nothing to talk about? What do I say? What is he like"? Lucy asked frantically. "What if he doesn't like me? What if I do or say something to make him angry? What if—"?

"Calm down," Brooke told her. "First of all your dad is the calmest person in the world, I don't think I have seen him angry that often. Except, over when your mom released the time capsule—".

"What if I remind him too much of her"? She asked. "Are we certain that he is my dad"?

"To answer both of those questions— you look too much like Mouth and we got the DNA results back. He is, I showed you the papers and we are out of time for questions. Here we are".

Lucy looked away Brooke, who she had her eyes glued on for quite some time, to find they were parked. She swallowed as she looked around at the large brick house, in the middle of the suburbs, noticing the toys in the front yard and the name on the mailbox.

Brooke took her shaky hand "you have nothing to worry about. I promise. You traveled three thousand miles—for this. I'm right here, I promise".

Lucy nodded.

Though still nervous she opened her car door and slowly made her way towards the house, holding Brooke's hand tightly. When Brooke presses the doorbell, Lucy felt her breath catch inside her lungs—unable to let it out, and unable to look up at the door.

"Hey" she heard—Millie answered. "You two come in".

Lucy didn't look up, instead, she watched her feet as she walked. When she looked up the first thing she saw was Millie's arm as she wrapped her up in a hug, it was when she leaned away that she felt her heart nearly leave her body.

Next to Millie was a man, not really tall and looked a little dorky, but he was her dad. In his arms was a baby who was playing with a button on his father's shirt—their father's shirt.

"You told me pot roast used to be your favorite " Millie told Lucy.

Lucy nodded, slowly.

"I made that for dinner".

"Really"? Lucy asked, her voice low—considerably to be categorized as a whisper.

"Yes," Millie said, placing her hands on both of Lucy's shoulders. "I also spoke to the principal, they were finally able to get your previous school's records and unfortunately where you haven't been in school for so long you are quite behind".

"Don't worry" Brooke said. "You're not being made to go back to go back to the sixth grade".

"Fourth" Lucy whispered. "I ran away when I was twelve but I never went to school since fourth".

"That's what Principal Johnson told me but we have a solution," Millie told her. "Over the next few weeks, you are going to continue going to school but instead you will go to the tutor room and study. I will also help you, here or wherever. What they are going to do is test you every week until you are caught up, I hope you like reading".

Lucy nodded. "Ulysses".

"Ulysses"? Brooke asked.

"That's my favorite book".

"I don't think I have ever heard of it," Brooke said.

"It's a book from the twenties," Mouth told them. "It's one of my favorites, too".

Lucy looked up at the man who spoke, and she smiled.

"You only have a fourth-grade education and you read that"? Millie asked.

Lucy nodded. "I love to read".

"What are some of your other favorites"? Mouth asked her. "Top five"?

"Ulysses, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Harry Potter series," she said, her cheeks turning red as she told them the last one.

"Marvin here has the whole Harry Potter collection, hard copy, and paperback in the library," Millie said, elbowing her husband.

"You have your own library"? Lucy asked, her voice becoming higher for the first time since she had arrived.

"Yes," Mouth told her. "I can show you after dinner—if you'd like," he said, awkwardly.

Lucy nodded.

Brooke smiled as she looked over at Mouth and said: "looks like that McFadden blood trumped the Gatina blood".

* * *

Davis laughed, or cackled, as Jamie carried him through the house by his ankle. He thought the teenager was playing a game—he was not. He tossed "twin A" as he had been labeled on to the couch.

"Stay out of my room" Jamie pleaded, as the child giggled. "I meant it—it goes for all—where did they all go"?

"In your room" Davis giggles uncontrollably.

"Oh, my freaking god" Jamie said heading towards the staircase but stopped, briefly pointing at Davis "don't move an inch until I get back," he told him.

Jamie then turned and headed up the stairs—followed by Davis.

Just as he approached his bedroom Sawyer and Lydia ran out of it and down the hall, but just to be safe he peered in his bedroom to find Jude. At first, the teenager was livid but found the young boy sitting on his bed, his legs crossed looking down at a picture frame.

Jamie slowly approached to see it was the picture that he took with Julian.

"Hey," Jamie said, sitting on the bed next to him. "You okay"?

"Is this you"? Jude asked. "The little boy on my daddy's shoulders"?

Jamie nodded. "Yeah, that was in Utah I think your dad movie premiere or something," he told him. "I don't really remember I was young—around your age. I just remember the snow and having the best time—with Julian".

Jamie looked down at Jude who had his head dropped, and heard a small sniffle come from the small child.

"Hey," Jamie said placing his hand on the back of Jude's head to get his attention and when he looked up saw that he was in fact crying.

"The longer he is gone—the less I remember him," Jude said brushing tears off his face. "What if I get to be big—like you and I can't remember him anymore"? He asked hugging the picture frame.

"I swear I won't let that happen," Jamie told him. "Hey," he said looking down so Jude looked up at him. "I promise, okay"?

"How—how did he die"? Jude asked.

"Hasn't your mom talked to you about that"? Jamie asked knowing Brooke had to have told her children about their father.

"She said he fell asleep and didn't wake up," Jude said. "But, I don't understand".

Jamie ran his fingers through his hair, unsure if he should, in fact, tell the boy but he took the picture frame looking down at it. He ran his fingers over the outline of Julian—the man he always considered to be more than just Brooke's husband, he was family. He was his big brother.

"Your dad—he had—his heart quit" Jamie explained to him, silently praying Brooke didn't skin him alive for this. "He was young, and normally it's not something that would be a health concern for many, many years—the doctors told your mom that sometimes it just happens. You know? Unexplainable things happen, your dad was very healthy. But, one day his heart stopped, there is really no reason for it and I wish I could tell you why Judey—but I can't because even the doctors don't know".

Jude swallowed, hard but nodded. Jamie wasn't sure if he understood or not, in fact he wasn't sure if Jude really registered anything he had said.

"Come here," Jamie said standing up reaching for Jude's hand.

The child slipped his hand into Jamie's and followed him to the large walk-in closet in the bedroom, as Jamie flicked the light on.

"I have something that might help you remember your dad—a little better".

Jamie let go of the child's hand and looked through the shelf at the top of his closet for several minutes. "Ah," he said. "Here it is".

Jude watched with wonder as Jamie pulled a large box down and carried it out on to the bed. Jude followed him jumping on the bed next to the box, looking at it with wide eyes.

"I do this weird thing" Jamie explained to him. "Anytime I have lost someone important to me, I put everything I don't ever want to lose that I have of them in a fireproof box—this is your dads".

"My dad was important to you"?

"He was like a big brother to me," Jamie said, nodding. "I'm going to let you pick something out of here, okay? You can take it home and keep it but here's the catch—you have to take really good care of it and anytime you start to feel like this again you come to me and you can trade it for something else".

Jude watched as Jamie opened the large box, and he jumped on his knees to look inside. He wasn't smiling but Jamie could see how happy he was as he searched through the box.

"A baseball"?

"Yeah," Jamie said. "Your dad taught me to play baseball with that very ball—".

The two jumped at the sound of glass shattering on hardwood.

"Just so you know—you're my favorite," Jamie told Jude rubbing the top of his head. "Go through it, pick out anything and you can take it home with you I have to go see which of the satan spawns I'm going to glue to the wall".

* * *

Lucas walked through the graveyard, painfully noticing the freshly dug grave and the removal of Keith's headstone. He kept one hand in his pocket and he continued to walk, keeping his head down—much how he felt about his entire life at that moment.

"Never in a million years did I think I would be here—standing here, wish you were alive so that I could talk to you," Lucas said as he approached the headstone, of the man he had come to visit. "Dan".

* * *

"I thought you said they were meeting us here"? Peyton asked Haley as they waited outside of Karen's café.

"Jake said he would be here, and Nathan is bringing the car," Haley said, looking at the time on her phone.

Peyton looked from one end of the street to the other watching for Jake to arrive, but quickly realized she didn't know what type of vehicle he drove. The nerves she felt traveled all the way to her shaky hands, that she stuck inside the pockets of her leather jacket and down to her buckling knees—neither of which she noticed as she continued to eye every driver that passed.

But, Haley did. She noticed.

"What"? Peyton asked, turning her head from the road to her friend—who was giggling. "What's funny"?

"Nothing," Haley said, looking at the road smiling.

"You're laughing, what's funny"?

"It's just you—you're nervous. I don't think I have ever seen Peyton Sawyer nervous before, it's cute".

"Nervous"? Peyton asked tilting her head as if she didn't know. "I'm not nervous, why would I be nervous for"?

"I know that if something happened for Nathan and me to get a divorce, I would be nervous before my first date, too".

"Okay, first of all—don't ever say that," Peyton told her pointing. "If something ever happened to you two there would be no hope for love, for anyone. That's worse than the ending of titanic—and before you say anything smart yes I have watched it and yes I have a soul" she said. "Second it's not a date".

"It's a date".

"I'm casually going out with three friends, one of which just happens to be someone who I used to date but is not someone who I am presently dating".

"It's a date".

"No, we are all going out as friends—".

"And when Nathan and I get home tonight we are probably going to have hot steamy sex, so therefore it's a date for us," Haley said, turning to face Peyton. "Therefore—that makes this a double date".

"It's not a date".

"Peyton, I know I'm rusty," Haley said shrugging. "The last time I went on a first date was over seventeen years ago, but when you change your outfit six different times it's a date".

Peyton has a response ready like she always did for anything, but she was not admitting that this particular outing was a date. For many different reasons. However, she didn't get the chance to speak.

"Jake, you made it," Haley said.

Peyton whipped around facing the same direction that Haley was, to find Jake walking away from a car that he had parked on the corner.

"Hey, where is Nathan"? He asked as he joined the two girls.

"On his way," Haley told him. "Peyton here thought you were standing her up".

Peyton could feel her face turn flush.

"I did not," Peyton said, alarmingly quick. "Look, there is Nathan".

Nathan pulled up and three all hopped into the SUV, Haley sitting in the front with her husband—leaving Peyton and Jake in the back. Awkwardly.

"Sorry, it took so long," Nathan said, as he drove away.

"It's fine," Peyton said.

"Yeah" Jake agreed. "I just got here myself".

"Couldn't decide what to wear"? Haley asked, though teasing Peyton in doing so.

"I haven't even begun to unpack yet" Jake admitted. "I ended up going to the mall to pick an outfit up, didn't want to go to a nice place in wrinkled clothes".

"Is it the restaurant or the girl you're trying to impress"? Haley asked, smiling as she buckled herself in—knowing that she didn't need to turn around see her blonde friend attempting to hide behind her hands.

"Maybe a little bit both," Jake said, honestly.

Peyton slowly lowered her hands from her face and into her lap—for the first time actually grateful for Haley's charms.

"How was Sawyer when you left"? Peyton asked Nathan, in an attempt to change the conversation before it could escalate any more—by Haley she was certain.

"I put high school musical on before I left, all the kids were fine when I left," Nathan told her as he continued to drive. "Well, all but one".

"Who"?

"Our oldest" Nathan said, glancing over at Haley.

"Jamie—What was wrong"? Haley asked him.

"Oh, I am ruining his life and he hates it here".

Jake snickered. "Teen"?

"Sixteen—pain my ass," Nathan said.

"I don't miss those years, not in the least. Ever since Jenny has moved out we have got so much closer, where we don't see each other every day I think" Jake told him. "She calls at least six times a day and tells me everything that's going on in her life".

"I wish Jamie was like that" Nathan told him honestly. "We used to be so close when he was younger, now I'm half certain he hates me".

"I think they all get like that".

"He can't stand me, we were finally starting to get along again and then he got in trouble over this tattoo he got—I grounded him," Nathan told Jake. "He can't stand me".

"I wouldn't be so sure," Peyton said as she twiddled with her fingers in her seat.

"Peyton, you haven't seen him with me".

"You're right," Peyton told him. "He came to the label yesterday, and do you know what he and I talked about the whole time"?

"What's that"?

"You, Nathan," she said smiling. "He talked about you the whole time".

"Oh, you mean what a horrible father I am and how much he hates me? That doesn't really make me feel better".

"Not even close," she said leaning up halfway. "He looks up to you more than you will ever know, Nate. He has a tattoo for you, for God's sake".

"What"?

"I saw it yesterday, it's new. Maybe a couple of days"? Peyton said shrugging.

"I just grounded him over a tattoo and he got another one"? Nathan said angrily.

"He said he got it last weekend, you should have seen it when he showed you the one on his arm," Peyton said. "I have a picture of him on my phone, hold on".

After a minute Peyton handed Haley the phone "he was helping me move some things around my office and it got hot. The air is broken and I never got it fixed since it's almost winter" she explained.

Haley looked down at the picture, and on Jamies's chest right below his collar bone was yet another tattoo—a large crown, fit for a king, and underneath it read one word: Dad.

Haley zoomed in as close as she could without forcing the picture to blur to see Nathan's initials NRS inside the crown, and she smiled.

"My eyes went straight to the half sleeve," Haley said. "I didn't even notice that one, and I don't think he was going to point it out".

"Nathan said. "He stood upstairs in front of me without a shirt on for forty-five minutes, how did I not notice it"?

"Probably because you were to busy blowing the roof off the house, baby," Haley said, smirking earning an eye roll from her husband.

"He probably got it thinking it would lessen the blow when we found out about the others," Nathan said shrugging. "A kiss ass technique".

"Oh, my god" Peyton said rolling her eyes. "You are so hard to please, but here". Peyton leaned up taking her phone from Haley. "You never heard this, okay? I ran into Jamie the other day at school and he had these poems I talked him into coming to the label to help this artist with writing songs. But, when he got there and he started singing—".

"Jamie writes poems"? Haley asked, slightly heartbroken that she didn't even know that about her son.

"We turned them into songs, which Cole—you know how picky he has been over the album his band is making," Peyton said, which Haley nodded. "They have already picked two songs from Jamie but there was this song they wanted but I just couldn't let Jamie sell it to them once I heard him sing it".

"He—he can sing"? Nathan asked.

"I have never heard a teenaged boy with his vocal range," Peyton told them. "It was like pulling teeth getting him into the studio but I'm going to put the song up because I just know one day Jamie is going to make an album and this song will be on it—it's about Nathan".

Peyton watched as Nathan looked at her through the rearview mirror.

"Country isn't my tune," Peyton told them. "And it has a country feel to it, but Jamie has this amazing voice you don't even know it. Here".

A light tune played from the speaker in Peyton's phone, catching both the mother and father's attention.

"_Lately I've been noticing I say the same things he used to say_".

"That—That's Jamie"? Haley asked turning around to face Peyton.

"I told you he is amazing isn't he"? Peyton asked.

"_When I look in the mirror. He's right there in my eyes_".

"Oh, my god" Haley said, as she continued to listen—to her son. "I didn't know—I didn't know he could sing or that he wrote poems or songs or any of that—Nathan did you"?

Nathan wanted to listen to his wife, but he wasn't. He couldn't hear anything, except the song that was playing—he couldn't hear anything but his son singing.

"_There were times I thought he was bein'. Just a little bit hard on me. But now I understand he was makin' me. Become the man he knew that I could be_".

"Nathan"? Haley asked. "You okay"?

"_In everything he ever did. He always did with love. And I'm proud today to say I'm his son_".

Peyton smiled, as she turned the song off. "We are still tweaking it but I think you get the gist," she said wrapping her hand around Nathan's shoulder. "My whole point is—Jamie doesn't hate you or want to be as far away from you as possible. He loves you Nathan, more than you will ever know. I hope Sawyer looks up to me one day the way he looks up to you—but if you ever tell him I showed you this I will castrate you".

"Oh" Nathan said, jumping in his seat at the threat. "Your secret is safe with me. Swear to all the Gods—I don't know what you believe in but I swear".

Haley and Jake both laughed at Nathan, Peyton, however, took two fingers towards her eyes before aiming them at Nathan—telling him she was watching him.

And he believed her.

"I am going to work on getting him to make his own music, but if he finds out I told you two—he probably won't," Peyton said.

"Scouts honor," Haley said, rubbing Nathan's leg.

* * *

Lucas planted himself on the ground, positioning himself perfectly to face Dan's headstone, and sat the bag he brought down. He pulled out two small glasses, sitting one in front of the headstone, and one in front of him.

"Nate told me this was your favorite" Lucas said as he pulled a liquor bottle out.

He popped the top open and poured them each a drink, knowing only one glass would be drunk.

"My wife is out on a date, my daughter is at a sleepover, my sister hates me, the love of my life doesn't know that I'm in love with her, and I'm spending my Saturday night—".

"With me"? Lucas heard.

When looked up to see Dan, his father leaning against a tree. He looked around, at first but he could pretty well guess it was one of a few things. An illusion or the alcohol—or a mixture of both. But, there he was—standing there.

Dan walked over and reached his hand out to help Lucas up, which Lucas took and jumped to his feet.

"I never could get you to talk to me when I was alive," Dan told him. "I guess this will have to do, it's not like I get a choice in the matter".

"What the hell is in that whiskey"? Lucas asked. "Are you—you're here"?

"What do you think"?

"I think I'm going to stick to my own whiskey from now on".

Dan smiled at him "would you like to take a walk, son"?

"Where? To the land of Oz"? Lucas asked. "What are you? A figment of my imagination? Ghosts of dead beat dad's past"?

Dan smiled. "A little bit both".

"Doesn't that just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside" Lucas said, sarcastically waving his hands around in the air.

"You're the one here to see me," Dan said shrugging. "Why"?

"I don't know".

"Okay, while you ponder on that I'm going to step over here," Dan said pointing back towards his headstone.

Lucas placed his hands on his hips and shut his eyes tightly in hopes that when he opened his eyes Dan would be gone. If it was his imagination then he could make him disappear, right?

Wrong!

When Lucas opened his eyes he saw Dan sitting on his own headstone, which was creepy enough in itself, drinking straight out of the liquor bottle.

"God, I miss this stuff," he said. "You know this is my favorite"?

"Yeah," Lucas said as he grabbed the bottle out of Dan's hand, and regrettably took another drink. "You look like a jackass sitting there on your headstone you know"?

"Yeah, but I'm not the one in a graveyard drinking and talking to myself".

Lucas froze, mid drink—before lowering the bottle and looking over his shoulder where he saw a group of teenagers passing—starring at him awkwardly, whispering to one another. He waved—awkwardly as they passed, whipping his mouth of the liquor that had run down his chin.

"Okay," Lucas said, as the teenagers vanished behind a corner, turning to face Dan. "What do I have to do to get you to go away"?

"You tell me".

Lucas covered his face with his hands and let out a frustrated groan. When he lowered his hands he found that Dan—was still there.

"I have finally cracked," Lucas said shaking his head. "Your side of the family finally caught up with me after all these years".

"Well, I did see Keith in jail once—If that helps".

"No, that doesn't help" Lucas nearly yelled. "That makes it worse".

"And why is that Lucas"? Dan asked. "Because that means you might be more like me than you want to admit".

"I'm nothing like you".

"And yet here you are—talking to a dead man," Dan said as he stood up before whispering "or should I say air"?

Lucas looked—and again saw people staring. But, this time it was an elderly couple—who Lucas politely waved to.

"You're enjoying this" Lucas said, through his teeth as he continued to smile at the couple, who no doubt was talking about how loony he was.

Dan stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged, although he was smiling.

"Did you know"? Lucas asked his smile to the couple dropping as they walked out of his sight, but he never turned around to look at Dan. "About Keith? Did you know he was alive"?

"If I did do you think I would have decided to turn myself in knowing I would be facing twenty-five years to life"?

"You only served four and a half years".

"I didn't know that going in" Dan defended himself. "No, Lucas I didn't know. I wish I had".

"And exactly what would you have done? Found him—finished him off? Try to patch things up? What exactly would you have done"?

Lucas turned around to face Dan his hands on his hips, his eyes full of anger.

"What I did was unforgivable, son".

"Don't call me that?" Lucas said pouting at Dan with the hand that held the liquor bottle.

"But, you are—rather you want to admit it or not. My blood runs through your veins as long as your heart beats—the heart you got from me".

Lucas looked at Dan, speechless—not by his words but by the nature of his entire visit. He was talking to his dead father, how could he not feel a little taken back by the entire situation.

"How is my beautiful granddaughter"?

"Don't bring her into your sick and twisted world, Dan".

"My world ended, six years ago. We are in yours now. My story is over, I hate to break it to you Lucas but this is your sick and twisted world".

* * *

Brooke glanced at Lucy who sat next to her at the table, it was clear that she loved the food Millie had cooked—but she ate, slowly and cautiously. As though she were going to get in trouble if she ate too much, Brooke hated to think that at some point in time she probably had.

"Oh, sorry," Brooke said, jumping from the sound of her telephone ringing—breaking the awkward silence in the house. "That's Madison—I need to take this, will you be alright for a minute"?

Lucy nodded, slowly—not entirely sure and watched as Brooke walked out of the dining room pressing her phone to her ear. When she looked back she saw him—still unsure what to call the man she looked so much alike, he was awkwardly stirring the food in her plate, just like she was.

"So," Millie said—in an attempt to break the awkward silence. "Where would you like to college one day"?

"I'm not sure," Lucy said, her voice just above a whisper. "I have never really thought about, college never seemed like an option for me".

"Oh" Millie said, unfortunately understanding why she said what she said. "Have you thought what you wanted to do"?

Lucy nodded. "I have known that since I was five years old".

"What is it"?

"I'd love to be a marine biologist".

"That sounds really interesting," Millie said.

"What made you want to pursue something like that"? Mouth asked, speaking up for the first time.

"I went to Hawaii with my mom, my—my adopted mom and I swam with the dolphins. They have them in this little tanks and—I don't know. Ever since I have just had this unexplainable love for sea animals I guess" she said shrugging. "But, without college, I can't—and unfortunately you can't dream up a college fund".

"Don't worry about that" Mouth told his daughter looking at her in the eyes for the first time. "If you want to go to college, I promise you—you will".

"I—I don't understand"?

"Your dad's loaded," Brooke said as she stepped back into the dining room.

"I'm not loaded".

"Fine you're financially blessed, whatever you want to call it," Brooke said, shrugging. "He owns the local news station," she told Lucy.

"Ignore Brooke" Mouth told Lucy sipping on his beer. "But, if you want to go to college—I will make certain that happens. Okay"?

"Really"? Lucy asked, blinking her eyes in disbelief—as if all this wasn't really happening.

"Yes," Millie said.

"That was Madison, the manager at the Café" Brooke told Lucy. "It's packed and she has been by herself for six hours" she explained before turning to look at Mouth and Millie "and with Tric still shut down you can only imagine how bad it is. Lily was scheduled to work but she is at the hospital with Keith—I hate to leave but— will you be fine"? Brooke asked looking at Lucy.

"Yes," she said nodding, slowly.

"The café closes at midnight on weekends so I will swing by about a half-hour past," Brooke told her. "It could be closer to one depending on how bad the clean up is".

"Or if she wants—she can stay here," Millie said.

"Would you be okay with that"? Brooke asked looking down at Lucy as she picked her purse up.

"I guess," Lucy said shrugging.

"Okay, well I have to get out of here—or Madison is going to end up being jumped by every resident in Tree Hill".

Lucy watched as Brooke hugged Mouth and Millie before ducking around the corner, and hearing the front door open and shut just moments later.

"How—erm, how did you two meet"? Lucy asked, after suddenly realizing that she hadn't asked any questions.

"Brooke," Millie said, smiling. "I'm originally from New York—but I worked for Brooke and came down here with her for work".

"And she never went back," Mouth said, grinning.

"How long have you been married"?

"Three and a half years" Mouth told her. "But, we have been together eleven".

Millie smiles, briefly before she got hit in the face with gob of mash potatoes, Lucy looked over at her little brother who was sitting in his high chair laughing and clapping.

Mouth and Lucy neither one could help but smile—and laugh a little, as Millie turned to face her son.

"Was that necessary"? Millie asked looking at Jimmie.

"Yes".

Millie found a napkin and cleaned her face off. "I believe it's time for his bath—if you will excuse me".

Millie picked her son up and walked out of the dining room leaving Mouth and Lucy alone—for the first time.

* * *

"Stab"! Sawyer yelled as she plunged the end of her pen into the small square packaging.

"I'm stabbing," Lydia said, obeying her cousin's order. "It's not working, are you sure this is how Aunt Peyton does it"?

"Yes" Sawyer said, as she continued to stab one small packaging after another. "When she can't find a knife or scissors she uses a pen to open something—Looky Lydy I got mine open".

Sawyer pulled the odd feeling material out from inside the packaging, and Lydia smiled "look it's a balloon"! She exclaimed.

"What kind of a balloon is called a condom"? Sawyer asked as she looked at the box she had pulled out of the bottom bathroom drawer.

Lydia shrugged as she began blowing air into one end, watching the mysterious condom balloon get bigger and bigger.

Sawyer continued to poke holes in one packaging after another, in an attempt to open another. As she reached the very last one, she was finally able to open it and just like her cousin began blowing it up—just like her cousin.

"What in the hell are you two doing"? Jamie asked walking in finding his cousin and sister with condoms blown up like gallons around their mouth.

"We found balloons," Lydia said grinning.

"Those are not—those aren't balloons—for you to play with," Jamie said covering his face with his hands. "Those are balloons—for grown-ups"!

"Do mommy and daddy play with them"? Lydia asks looking up at her brother.

"If they did I don't think we would be having this conversation," Jamie said rolling his eyes. "Go back downstairs, and I'll order a pizza".

"Yes," Sawyer said fist-pumping in the air.

The two girls darted out of the bathroom they had been sitting and Jamie began—once again picking up the mess. He took the two open condoms and their wrappers—tossing them in the trash before gathering the large number of unused condoms, putting them back inside the large box, and placing them back in the bottom drawer.

Unaware of the holes in each of them.

* * *

_**A/N A couple will get pregnant, but I won't tell you who. At least not yet. And I think you'll be very surprised at how many different people use Nathan's condoms. **_

**_ The song used, well the lyrics are from a Keith urban song. I went back-and-forth with using an actual song or not, but if you listen to the song it was perfect for this. It is called Song for Dad, and I don't claim rights to it just use of a storyline. _**

**_ I had to break this up into two chapters because of the amount that was going on within a chapter. _**

**_I will address everything in the Second part of the chapter, I will say that with the argument between Jamie and Madison in the beginning I went back-and-forth with because of the nature of the argument, but I ended up choosing to keep it because teenage boys can be really dumb. Even Jamie._**

**_Thanks for reading! review! _**


	11. Losing your memory

**_Disclaimer: I don't On anything but the storylines, and don't clean too. All rights go to the rightful owners. _**

* * *

_Losing your memory: Ryan Star_

_You're losing your memory now  
You're losing your memory now  
You're losing your memory now  
_

_You're losing your memory, now_

* * *

"I'm back," Deb said, as she stepped back into Keith's quiet hospital room, carrying two to-go bags in her hands. "The café was a madhouse, Brooke just got there to help Madison. She was having to cook herself and serve everything".

"Oh, my gosh" Lily said covering her mouth. "I was supposed to work tonight—so was two other girls, though. What happened"?

"I guess one girl is sick and another quit—but Brooke is there now. It should start to calm down a little now that she has help" Deb said as she sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the bed that Lily was sitting on. "This has your order".

Deb handed her the bag with her food in before sitting back in her chair and beginning to eat her own.

"Do you think he will like me"? Lily asked as she popped a fry into her mouth, looking at her unconscious father.

"Oh, God yes" Deb said. "I think God got his wires crossed one day because Keith was the brother that was meant to be a father—not Dan. I used to pray that some of Keith would rub off on my piece of trash husband, it never did so I tried to kill him".

Lily looked up to see Deb sucking on her milkshake through a straw, nonchalantly,

"You tried—to... kill him"? Lily asked, arching an eyebrow not entirely sure if she should be impressed or frightened, perhaps she was a little bit of both. "How"?

"I'm not giving you tips," Deb said, biting into her sandwich.

"Arson"?

"Yeah," Deb said nodding her head.

Lily smiled, "it's a shame that you weren't successful".

"Well, aren't you sweet" they heard.

The two turned to see an elder man walking through the door, guided by a cane in his hand.

"You've got to be kidding me," Deb said, as she looked at the man.

"Who are you"? Lily asked standing up at the sight of the older man.

"I didn't know you had another child," the man told Deb, shaking his head. "Because you were such a great mother the first time around".

"She isn't mine," Deb said crossing her arms standing up glaring her eyes at him. "She is the daughter of Karen Roe—and Keith Scott".

The man looked as though he had the breath knocked out of him as he looked over at the teenager.

"Royal Scott, meet Lily your granddaughter," Deb said. "Lily, this is your grandfather".

"My What"? The two both shrieked in horror as Deb threw herself back down in the chair.

"How are you still alive"? Deb asked looking at Royal as he made his way across the room and into a chair.

"Good to see you're as kind as ever Debra," he said as he slowly sat down, grunting in response to his achy bones.

"No one has heard from you in what—eighteen years? Something like that"?

"That's my boy in that bed—I have every right to be here, but you—you're not a Scott," Royal told her. "Not anymore, what exactly are you doing here"?

"She is here with me" Lily snapped at the man glaring at him over her shoulder. "If this is my grandfather—" she began looking back at Deb "then why have I seen him before, let alone heard of him"?

"I could ask the very same question," Royal said.

"But, you didn't," Lily told him harshly. "I did".

"That was Karen's judgment call," Deb told both of them. "That's all I know. She already knew answering questions about your dad was going to be hard enough, and after Dan went to prison she wanted to distance you from anything that could be harmful".

"May and I—are harmful"? Royal asked, his booming voice echoing through the room.

"That's not what I meant".

"Funny, that's what you said".

"Karen just found out that one of her baby daddies shot and killed the other, and Lily was all she had left of Keith".

"What about May"? Royal asked folding her arms. "You know how close she and Keith were, this girl would have been all she had of Keith, too".

"Would you two stop talking about him like he is dead"? Lily nearly yelled. "He isn't dead. He is right here, so stop it! Now"!

* * *

"Food's here" Jamie called as he shut the door behind the delivery man and made his way towards the kitchen.

No sooner than he sat the food on the kitchen table did four kids come running hastily, each jumping into a chair. Jamie pulled five plates out of the cabinets, the same ones that had been around as long as he had been alive knowing good and well if he used anything else his mother would kill him. Or worse. Ground him longer.

"I'm not allowed to eat Pizza," Jude said.

"I know," Jamie said as he sat a plate in front of each of the kids. "That's why you and I are eating Chinese, the rest of you get pizza".

"No, I want Chinese to"! Sawyer told him.

"That's not fair"! Lydia yelled.

"I want an egg roll"! Davis demanded. "With ketchup".

Jamie stopped handing out plates, as he looked at the child—who was dead serious.

"Ketchup"? Jamie asked raising an eyebrow. "On an egg roll"?

"He drinks ketchup straight from the bottle," Jude said shrugging.

"You're a strange little dude," Jamie told Davis shaking his head. "But, Anyways is anyone else here besides Jude Lactose Intolerant"? He asked, and everyone else shook their heads. "Then no one gets Chinese, sorry not sorry".

"But, that's not fair," Davis said. "I'm telling Santa Clause on you," he told Jamie pointing a finger at him. "I'm writing him a letter".

Jamie rolled his eyes "it's September, he is to busy dicking Mrs. Clause down this time of the year to read your letter".

"What does that mean"? Sawyer asked. "Dicking down"?

Jamie but his bottom lip "erm" he said scratching his head, realizing he had taken the child's argument a little too seriously. "Just something couples do".

"Like how mommy and daddy wrestle"? Lydia asked.

"Exactly," Jamie said handing them each some food. "Okay, eat your food. I'm going to watch tv".

"You're grounded" Davis reminded him.

"And you're not even four foot tall—do you really think you're in a position to be telling me what the rules are around here? I will duck tape you to the wall, Danny Devito"?

Jamie left the kids in the kitchen as he went into the living room, kicked back on the couch, and turned the sports channel on as he began quickly devouring his food.

For a moment.

"All done," Sawyer said as she bounced back into the living room.

"Me too," Lydia said following her. "Let's play hide and seek".

"Hide and seek is for kids," Sawyer said crossing her arms.

"Yeah, Davis hide and seek is for kids," Lydia said crossing her arms, just like her cousin. "I told him it was for kids but he didn't listen".

"I never said I wanted to play hide and seek," Davis said throwing his hands on his hips as he got in Lydia's face. "You're lying".

"If I get up and I look on that table—and each of you still have food on the table I will—".

"What call our parents"? Sawyer asked rolling her eyes. "Puh-lease! I'm not scared of Peyton or Lucas".

"Yeah, and I'm not scared of Nathan or Haley".

Jamie looked over at his little sister, who was in fact scared of her parents when she got in trouble, standing in the same position as his little cousin. He rolled his eyes, knowing that at past a certain time—probably around midnight after his parents would come rolling in, she would be singing a different tune. Or crying.

"Oh, no—I'm going to call someone much worse than either of those two" Jamie said looking over at him.

"My mom isn't scary so we know you aren't calling her"! Jude said as he sat down next to Jamie laughing.

"Yeah" Davis agreed. "Our mom is the coolest—ever"!

"No argument here," Jamie said shrugging. "But, that's not who I am talking about, either". He smiled as he looked around at the group of kids "have you ever heard of Nanny Carrie"?

* * *

Haley and Peyton stood in the restroom of the theater, using the same lame excuse any other woman used. 'I have to powder my nose' never seemed to fail, and no man was brave enough to ask what all that entailed. But, really it was just an excuse, for Haley, to get her friend alone.

"How is it going"? Haley asked as she sat her small purse on the sink turning to face Peyton.

"You have sat across from me all night," Peyton told her smirking. "And we have shared a vehicle from Tree Hill to the restaurant and from the restaurant to here".

"I know but I can't see what's happening under the table".

"Haley James Scott" Peyton said shaking her head as she looked at her best friend. "What are we in high school"?

"Yes".

Peyton was sure her eyes were going to fall out of her body from rolling to the back of her head. She was certain.

"He can't take his eyes off you".

Peyton wanted to ignore the comment, and she tried but when she looked in the mirror in front of her she saw that her cheeks were bright red.

"Really"? Peyton asked turning back to face Haley. "He can't"?

"Nathan said the same thing when we were all eating," Haley told her. "And you can't take your eyes off of him either".

"He did age well".

"Not as sexy as my husband but I agree".

Peyton laughed, as the two headed for the door.

The girls left the bathroom, leaving an important item behind—unaware, as they made their way back out to the lobby where Nathan and Jake were patiently waiting for them.

"Are you ready"? Nathan asked wrapping his arm snuggly around his wives waist.

"Yes," Haley said before planting a kiss on her husband's lips. "Are you"?

"I'm definitely ready to take a three and a half hour nap," Nathan said nodding.

Haley poked her husband in the ribs, and he laughed in response.

"I don't think you will get any sleep in there, Nate," Peyton told him. "The singing gets to be incredibly loud".

"And so is Lydia all hours of the day and night," Nathan said shrugging. "I have taught myself the craft of sleeping through anything—except sex, and I feel like I'm not going to get that lucky in there".

"Keep talking like that, and you won't get lucky when we get home either".

"Ouch," Nathan said as his wife lead the way towards the large doors.

"Tickets," the man at the door told them.

"Here you are," Nathan said pulling them out of his pocket and handing them to him.

"Two of you are in the second-row seat five and six and two of you are in the eighth-row seat twelve and thirteen".

"I thought we were sitting together," Haley said tilting her head. "I purchased the tickets together".

"Unfortunately, that can't guarantee seats together" he explained to her.

"But—".

"Lady, there is a line" he interrupted Haley pointing to the angry group behind her.

"Come on, Hales" Nathan said as he took his wives hand.

The four walked in, and Nathan looked back at Jake and Peyton "do you two want to closer to the front"?

"It doesn't matter to us, Nate" Jake told him.

"This is terrible," Haley said folding her arms.

"Why"? Peyton asked whispering in her ear. "Because you can't eavesdrop now"?

Haley rolled her eyes, although Peyton hadn't been wrong. Incredibly correct, actually.

"Alright, Hales lets go," Nathan said taking his wives hand once again.

Haley watched as Peyton and Jake found their seats as she and Nathan walked closer towards the back.

"Just think of it like this—you can watch from back here as your masterpiece comes together," Nathan told her smiling.

"You're an ass".

"But, am I a cute ass"?

"What"? Haley asked laughing as they each sat in their seats.

"Like donkey on Shrek— he was a really cute ass," Nathan said as he stretched his arm around his bride of a decade and a half's shoulder. "Don't worry—your ass is much cuter than that ass".

"Than an animated character, gee thanks. I feel so honored" Haley said rolling her eyes.

Nathan smiled before kissing his wife, it wasn't a long kiss but it did make her forget about Jake and Peyton—briefly.

"I just think they would be so happy together".

"And if it's meant to be it will be," Nathan told his wife.

"Now, you sound like a country song," Haley said sitting back into her seat with her arms folded.

"I am curious about something, how did you go from hating her for screwing around on Lucas to trying to set her up with Jake just days after they filed for divorce"?

Haley looked at her husband, unsure what all he knew and unsure what she should or could tell him.

"Would this perhaps be about Brooke"? Nathan asked.

Haley let out a sigh of relief, he knew. She didn't have to break any friendship codes or betray anyone's trust. He knew. She assumed Lucas told him, although it could have been Peyton. Nathan remained pretty neutral over the couple.

"Yes," Haley answered him. "Lucas has been in love with her this entire time—Peyton deserves to be happy, too. I don't agree that she should have cheated, because she shouldn't. But, I can't imagine what it would have been like to be married to someone for ten years, knowing that you were never the love of his life. She deserves to know that feeling. She made mistakes but everyone deserves to feel what we feel".

Nathan leaned over and kissed his wife.

She was right. Haley was always right. But, he wasn't going to tell her that.

* * *

Peyton watched as Jake looked over his shoulder, back at Nathan and Haley, before turning back around—smiling, shaking his head.

"How long have they been together"? Jake asked as he shot another glance back at them.

"Well, their oldest is sixteen and they were married a year before she got pregnant so by the time she had him it was closer to two years; or more like a year and a half when you add in the nine months of pregnancy—eighteen years. Or almost probably" Peyton told him quickly adding up in her head.

"And they still kiss like that"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.

"You sound like their teenaged son" Peyton told him, laughing.

"I don't blame him," Jake said fully turning around facing the stage. "If I saw my parents act like that I would be completely nauseated".

"Your parents are in their seventies and Dale has false teeth, I'm sure it would nauseating for many different reasons," Peyton told him, laughing. "If they kissed like that—but your mom still loves his slobbery kisses".

Jake blinked his eyes at Peyton, in disbelief. "My dad just got false teeth in the past two or three years, how did you know that"? He asked her.

"I have always kept in touch with your parents—I hope that's not a bad thing. Ruth and Dale are two of the kindest people I have ever met" Peyton said.

"You have kept in touch with them—all these years"?

"Yeah," Peyton said nodding. "Your mom and I try to get together for lunch as often as we can. I travel, they travel so when we met up in the same country we would have lunch or dinner—".

"You know none of my exes could seem to get along with my mom," Jake told her. "They still don't like Nicki, and I have even brought home a lawyer, a teacher—very suitable stepmother influences for Jenny but they all got the bush and had to listen to a two-hour conversation from my mom about a Miss. Peyton Sawyer".

Peyton giggled, "Ruth always did have good taste".

"I agree," Jake said.

Jake took Peyton's hand in his, and he smiled at her.

"So, tell me about your daughter," he told her.

Peyton smiled as she reached into her purse and pulled her phone out, picking a picture out of her gallery and handing her his phone.

"She looks just like you," Jake told her.

"I get that quite often," Peyton told him. "But, she acts like a Scott—no denying that. Biggest daddy's girl you will ever meet".

"I don't know, Jenny might give her a run for her money," Jake said shrugging. "I can't tell you how many times a week that starts with 'daddy".

"That's bad, because"?

"Oh, I'm normally called dad," he told her. "When she wants something—like money I become daddy".

Peyton laughed. "Do you have any pictures of her"?

Jake nodded, as he handed her his phone. She looked down at his lock screen to see Jake standing next to a tall dark-haired girl, who was smiling ear to ear. She assumed it was from Christmas due to the sweaters and the large tree in the background, but none the less it was the perfect picture.

"She is beautiful," Peyton told him, handing his phone back. "She looks—".

"Like her mom"? Jake asked, and Peyton slowly nodded. "Yeah, I know. Trust me".

"How is good old Nicki"?

"Well, she is great believe it or not," Jake told Peyton leaning back in his seat, but turning to face her. "She had this car accident when Jen was five, and I don't know if she had some near-death experience epiphany, but when she left the hospital something changed. She became a better mother, person. She got married about seven years ago to this lawyer and they have three kids together, plus Jenny. She works for the divisions of family and children services, she even volunteers at soup kitchens and donates to homeless shelters".

"Are you sure we are talking about the same Nicki"?

"I have said the same thing for years," Jake told her. "But, it was so much easier to co-parent with her that I just didn't question it too long. Jenny has graduated, that means we no longer have to speak with one another. But, she still texts every day and calls at least twice a week just to check on me".

"I hope Luke and I can get to that place. Right now things are—difficult. I mean the divorce is going smoothly but we just have a hard time speaking with one another".

"It will pass" Jake promised her. "You and Luke will get through it, you remember how bad things were for me—If Nicki and I can get through it you will. Trust me".

"I hope you're right".

"I am, I am always right, Sharon".

Peyton laughed, "you keep telling yourself that, Jagielski".

* * *

"My feet and back are killing me," Madison said as she leaned over the counter resting her head.

Brooke rubbed the teenagers head as she shook her own in disbelief "I have no idea how you managed that by yourself as long as you did" she told Madison. "You need a raise".

"I need a back rub, but my boyfriend is grounded and we are fighting".

"Fighting"? Brooke asked, confused—by their Naley perfection display. "What exactly do two teenagers fight about"?

"Well, the fight was stupid—I love Jamie, but when it comes to girl stuff he is so—what's the word.."? She said, not really asking, as she trailed off unable to come up with the perfect word.

"Stupid"? Brooke asked, her memory's with her own teenaged boy trouble still fresh in her mind—as if everything happened just yesterday.

And if anyone asked it did. She was a teenager, with two seven-year-old twins, and a couple of successful businesses.

If anyone did ask Brooke was not in her thirties.

"Basically—Yes, but that's not why we were fighting," Madison told her. "I mean it was but I think it was just me having a moment".

"A moment"?

"On my last break before I got off work, I talked to Lauren she is my legal guardian".

"I think Haley mentioned something about that".

"Her dad passed away last year and now her mom is sick, so she is wanting to move and be with them" Madison explained. "I understand, of course, it's just that Tree Hill is my home. All my friends are here—".

"Jamie is here".

Madison slowly nodded. "I have spent my whole life with him, I can't even imagine being with anyone else. He is a pain in the ass—but he is my pain in the ass".

Brooke lightly smiled as she sat down next to the teenager, and rubbed her back. "Your parents gave her legal guardianship ship, right"?

"Yeah".

"Do you think they would sign it over to someone else"? Brooke asked. "I just bought myself a new house and it has seven bedrooms—right across the road from Haley and Nathan, I haven't even told them yet I was waiting for the papers to go through. But, I would have plenty of room if you wanted to stay with me while you finished high school"?

"Are you serious right now"?

For the first time since she sat down, Madison popped her head up looking at Brooke, who was smiling, but she wasn't laughing because nothing was funny. This was not a joke, it felt like it should be to the teenager though.

"I am very serious," Brooke told her. "The boys and I would love to have you. You deserve to finish school where you started and you're a great kid, Maddie. You work, play basketball—which is your only flaw, and get straight A's. I love you and the boys absolutely adore you".

"I'm sure I could get my parents on board".

"I will go to Lauren's first thing in the morning and talk to her about it," Brooke said. "I know Lauren, I'm sure she will be completely understanding. I can contact your parents—do you have their number"?

"No," Madison said, shocking Brooke. "We only communicate through letter. They send me a letter every other week, and but I write to them frequently. I can write to them tomorrow morning first thing—".

"Wait," Brooke said, stopping her. "You haven't spoken to your parents in... seven or eight years? Why"?

"My parents are these weird voodoo hippie people who don't believe in technology" Madison explained to her. "Brooke, are you sure about this"?

Brooke thought for a moment, though not about the question. She thought about Madison and all that she knew about her and something just didn't seem to add up in her head.

Although, she wasn't going to share that information with the teenager just yet.

"Of course I'm sure," Brooke said, ignoring the voice in her head as she rubbed Madison's hand. "But, just so you know Haley will start watching you and Jamie like a hawk".

"As if she doesn't already"? Madison asked smiling. "Customers, I'm going to go take their order".

Brooke nodded and watched as she pulled her phone out—searched for a number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Lauren—this is Brooke. I need you to meet me outside the café as soon as you can" she told her. "It's about Madison and her parents".

* * *

Lucas parked his car, outside of his empty home before slowly exiting his vehicle. He walked through the dead of the night to his front door before walking inside his home, where he shut—and locked the door.

It was the home he grew up in, he could walk through the house blindfolded. Which was basically what he was doing, walking through the dark, as he found his way to the hallway where he turned the light on.

"Jesus Christ," Lucas said, stumbling back hitting the wall as he grabbed his chest looking up into Dan's eyes—who was smirking over his son. "I got your heart problems, remember"?

"So, I heard," Dan said, crossing his arms. "Are you ready to talk"?

"I need a beer".

Lucas walked to the refrigerator, pulling open the door—and quickly found himself three beers deep on the couch.

And Dan still wasn't gone.

"You know—" Dan said as he sat down on the couch next to Lucas, drinking a beer—much to Lucas' dismay. "I used to sit and think what it would have been like if I hadn't bailed on your mom. I used to wonder how different our lives would have been—"

"I'm not interested in taking a dreadful trip down memory lane with you, or talking about what could have been".

"Then what are you interested in, Lucas" Dan asked, looking at him.

"I don't know, I don't know why you're here".

"We both know that's a lie, I wouldn't be here if you didn't know".

"What have you been doing since you died"? Lucas snapped. "Watching national treasure over and over again? Enough with the crypt clues, if you know why you're here why don't you just tell me? Or is this your punishment for whatever I did to you—are you haunting me? No offense but I would prefer Casper—or Shakespeare if I'm getting to choose someone from the dead to spend time with. Hell, I would rather spend time with Jack the Ripper than sit here with you".

"Met him—lovely fella".

"Lovely fella"? Lucas asked arching an eyebrow. "Remind me to ask Madison what was in those brownies I ate from the café earlier".

"You came to visit me—why"? Dan asked turning sideways on the couch to look directly at his son, who did not return the gesture.

Lucas tapped each of his thumbs against the top of his beer bottle as his head fell back against the couch, he come to terms with it. He was having a conversation with his dead father, or himself, either way, it didn't make him feel any better.

"Keith—do you know"?

"I know what you know".

"Just answer the question, Jane Fonda"!

Dan tolled his eyes "Yes, I know that Keith is alive and before you ask—no I didn't know that before I died. I was facing twenty-five years in prison, do you think I would have turned myself in if I knew my brother was still alive"? Good point. "But, that's not what you want to ask me".

Lucas looked over at Dan, glaring at him, if looks could kill this would be the one. Except, Dan was already dead—and this night just seemed to be getting worse and worse for Lucas.

"As much as you went on about regret and trying to do better—would you have been happy that he survived"? Lucas asked, each word coming out of his mouth slower than the last. "Or would you have been pissed—and it was all an act? I mean you stood above your brother shot him, in cold blood and you thought he was dead for the remainder of your pathetic life—".

"I would have loved nothing more than to see my brother one last time, Lucas," Dan told him. "I wish I could have lived just to apologize to him. I spent the remainder of my—as you so elegantly called it, pathetic life, apologizing and trying to make amends with everyone. Except him and he is the only opinion that truly mattered. Living with what I did, it wasn't easy".

"But, you managed," Lucas said, bitterly.

"After I shot and killed Keith, I lived nothing more than a haunted existence—much like yourself right about now. Huh? Your wife is out on a date—with the man she should have married—not you, your daughter is spending her Saturday night with friends—not you, your sister would rather sit at the hospital talking to Deb—not you, and the love of your life, Miss. Brooke Davis—good choice, by the way, is a multimillionaire and is waitressing tables tonight—not with you".

"Go to hell".

"I've been there, it's actually quite lovely in the spring".

"There are thousands and thousands of dead people, why are you here"? Lucas asked frustrated. "I could see anyone if I'm seeing you like I am—why you? Mom? Q? Hell, even Julian would be a better company. Why you"?

"That's for you to figure out," Dan told him. "But, if I had to guess I'd say it's because you relate to me more than anyone else".

"I'm nothing like you".

"Lucas, out of both of my boys—I see myself in you the most".

"No, I would never hurt my siblings," Lucas said standing up pointing at him. "I would—I have fought with Nathan and argued with Lily but I would never—I could never do what you did"!

"There was a time I could have said the same thing," Dan told him. "I mean Keith and me—we never got along. But, I never thought I could kill him—or attempt to kill him".

"What are you saying? That I'm a murder, too"?

"No," Dan said shaking his head. "You have to good of a heart to ever hurt someone like that, let alone your brother or your sister. I'm just simply pointing out that at one time I thought I was never capable of doing such horrific things, either".

* * *

"I'm not saying it was bad," Nathan said as he walked outside of the theater holding his wife's hand, with Peyton and Hake slowly trailing behind. "I just don't understand why they have to address every problem in song. Next time Jamie acts up or Lydia has a problem I will just start singing—".

"I think we would all appreciate it if you don't," Peyton said. "Leave it to the professionals".

"I was a professional".

"Basketball player, sure," Jake said, nodding. "I don't think it goes far past that".

"Is my singing that bad"?

"Yeah," Haley, Peyton, and Jake all said together.

The three laughed, although Nathan felt oddly insulted as they approached the Scott's family car. But, came to an awkward stop between the four.

"Are you going to let us in"? Nathan asked looking at his wife, who was still slightly giggling.

"I don't have the keys—you do".

"No," Nathan said. "You put them in your purse on your way—where is your purse"?

It quickly came flooding back to Haley like a bad dream, that her husband was right. She looked at her empty arms, before looking back at Peyton.

"Oh, my gosh" Haley said.

The four took off back towards the inside of the theater and tore through the seating area.

"It's not here," Nathan said as he stood up from looking under the seats.

"No, it has to be," Haley said shaking her head as she continued her own search.

"Are you sure this is where you two sat"? Jake asked.

"Yeah, it's the seat number on our tickets," Nathan told him.

"It's not in the bathroom," Peyton said as she walked back in joining them.

"My phone is in there, my credit card—they key to the car," Haley said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Excuse me, but we have to start cleaning up," a young man in a bright red vest said as he approached the four.

"Has anyone turned a purse in"? Haley asked him immediately. "It's blue, has a good buckle—". She quickly stopped as he slowly shook his head.

"Sorry, ma'am. We have had no turn in's tonight" he told her. "Was it left here"?

"Here or in the bathroom," Peyton told him.

"If it was out here or in the lobby or something we have cameras but we don't have cameras in the bathroom for obvious reasons," he told them. "I can put your name upfront though, and take your number and give you a call if it's located".

"That would be great—thank you".

Nathan gave the young man his contact information and the four walked out the door, back to the parking lot where their car was the only vehicle left. Except for the cars in the employee section.

"We are three hours from home—what are we going to do"? Nathan asked shoving his hands in his pocket as he looked at Peyton.

"No," his former high school girlfriend said pointing a finger at him. "We are not calling Luke, that's off the table".

"Do you have any other ideas? Everyone else is busy—".

"Jamie"! Peyton nearly shouted. "He has his license".

"And four kids," Haley told her.

"He has a giant Tahoe" Peyton pleaded.

Nathan pulled his phone out rolling his eyes, unable to believe he was actually doing this—as he dialed his home phone. He waited. He waited. He waited.

"Hello"? The four heard a tiny voice from the speakerphone.

"Lydy—Where is your brother"? Nathan asked.

"Hey, daddy," the little girl said. "Guess what we did? We blew up balloons and —".

"Honey, that's great but I need to speak with your brother".

"Is he in trouble again"? She asked, her voice filled with glee. "Can I ground him this time? I don't think you—".

"Lydia Bob," Haley said jerking the phone out of her husband's hand. "If you don't take the phone to your brother right this very second your brother isn't going to be the only one who is spending his weekends doing chores and not with their friends".

"Gee momma," Lydia said. "What did daddy ever do"?

"Lydia I swear—".

"I don't really like your attitude old lady," Lydia told Haley. "You call back when you learn how to use your manners".

Click.

"Did—did she just hang up on me"?

Nathan wanted to laugh, in fact, he did a little despite the circumstance.

* * *

"I'll be right back," Brooke said as she walked towards the door.

Madison nodded in response, a little too tired to really care as she sat on a stool at the bar, pretending that she wasn't resting her eyes when in fact she was. But, Brooke was a cool boss—and after the night the teenager had she didn't blame her, no one else was in the café considering it was a little over an hour to closing, so neither really said anything.

Brooke, however, left the café and walked around the corner where she found Lauren sitting in her car—waiting. The fashionista climbed in through the passenger door, turning to face her immediately.

"How did you find out"? Lauren asked, before anything else.

"I haven't found anything out, yet," Brooke said, emphasizing on the last word. "My parents were horrible parents but I still spoke to them—even though I didn't want to so as Madison was explaining to me about her parents it just didn't add up—so you're going to break it down for me. Where are her parents"?

"I don't know," Lauren told her honestly. "I'm not even certain that the people she was here with were her parents, I only know about her heritage because I did that testing. I did mine, too—so she never realized why. I thought she deserved to know something true about herself".

"Lauren".

"They left her Brooke," Lauren said, her voice dropping. "I lived right down the street and I watched them pack up and leave—in a hurry, too. I watched them drive away then seen her pop her head up in the window—at first, I thought maybe it was just her dad that left. They argued a lot—her parents if that's what you want to call them".

"They—they left her"?

Lauren nodded. "I didn't see anyone else, so I took some paper of hers I had just graded over just to check. After I told her who it was she answered the door and let me in—everything was gone, except her. They left her a cup of juice—so I brought her over to my house".

"She has no idea does she"? Brooke asked, a little angry at Lauren but understanding, though she was as furious with whoever it was that Madison spent the first half of her life with.

"No, they told her they would be back so that's what I told her at first" Lauren explained. "I didn't want her to fall into the foster system so I told everyone she was staying with me for a while, that it had been arranged by her parents months ago. But, the more time passed the bigger of a reason I needed".

"Hence the deported lie"?

Lauren nodded. "I was her teacher and I spoke to her parents frequently so it was pretty believable and no one really questioned it".

"Lauren, She has been saving up to go visit her parents for—I don't even know how long" Brooke said. "She has this perfect illusion of what her parents are—and she doesn't even know that will never happen. You have to tell her".

"I don't really have a choice right now," Lauren said, slowly. "Where I am going to be moving I was signing her and my son up for school where we are going to be moving—but I don't have her birth certificate or social or anything".

"How did you register her for school all these years"?

"I didn't," Lauren told her. "Her parents did and because it was the same school system it just transferred from year to year".

"Oh".

"I got a call from a social worker—Brooke I could go to jail for kidnapping and she will end up in foster care—and hate me for it".

* * *

"So, he is like my grandfather—or whatever"? Lily asked Deb, in a low voice as they looked over at Royal who was passed out on the couch sitting up straight—with his head tilted backward.

"I'd stick with or whatever" Deb whispered back to her. "He wasn't much of a dad to Keith or Dan, probably the reason for many things".

"Really"?

Royal moved, but just slightly.

Deb cocked her head to the side, indicating for Lily to follow her—which she did. The two left Keith's hospital room, Deb pulling the door tightly closed as they stepped out.

"Keith—I think he beat on your dad when he was growing up," Deb told her as they began to walk the empty halls. "Although, I can't be one hundred percent certain. He wasn't a very good man".

"You talk about him like he is dead".

"One can only hope".

"Is he really that bad"? Lily asked.

Deb nodded. "Where do you think Dan got it from"? She asked. "Royal Scott is a vile man, just as Dan was. Dan used to say that Lucas nor Keith was worthy of the Scott name, although your dad was always able to hold his own with Dan".

Lily smiled. "Do you think he will make it through the surgery, Deb"?

"I have my hopes, but you heard the doctors—prepare for the worst and hope for the best".

Lily has heard the doctors and everything they had told her, but she didn't care.

"You know my dad though," Lily said. "I don't want to hear what the doctors say or think, I want to know what you think. Will he be okay"?

"I don't want to give you some sort of false hope, Lily" Deb told her. "But, you're dad is the strongest man I have ever had the privilege of knowing, I probably would have got cleaner a lot sooner if he had been around".

"Yeah"?

"I know Kieth, he would have waltzed into the house and poured the pills and alcohol down the sink. Then taken my ass to a rehab and sat there with me until I was clean".

Lily smiled. "I can't wait to meet him—".

"Lily".

"I know, don't get false hope but it's not false hope. I'm choosing to believe that he is going to wake up, just a week ago I was an orphan and now I have a dad. My dad is alive, thanks to you".

* * *

"It's for you," Lydia said walking up and throwing the phone at her brother. "It's Aunt Peyton—and she needs to work on her attitude".

"That's nothing new," Sawyer said shrugging. "She hasn't had sex in a while".

"What's sex"?

Jamie paused, for a moment he was actually curious to see what his cousin's response was.

"I'm not sure," Sawyer said shrugging. "Whatever it is, my parents didn't do it. Is it the same as dicking down"? She asked looking up at Jamie.

The teenager chuckled, thanking God he had the speaker covered with his hand—so his aunt didn't hear what was said.

"Exactly the same" Jamie told them. "Now, go before I call nanny Carrie".

The two girls eyes both grew wide and they took off running up the stairs.

"Hello"? Jamie asked, chuckling to himself, as he pressed the house phone to his ear.

"Jamie, it's Peyton—".

"I gathered that much Aunt Peyton—what's going on"?

"Just a quick question—do you know how to get to Charleston"?

Jamie stopped what he was doing, almost immediately, taken back by the question.

"Of course I do," Jamie said, genuinely curious where this conversation was going.

"Well—here's the deal, your mom's purse was taken—".

"Is she okay"? Jamie asked, his voice frantic.

"Yeah," Peyton told him. "It wasn't like a mugging or anything, she left it in the bathroom or where she sat at. It was an honest mistake—".

"She left her purse somewhere and it got stolen—and she doesn't even know where she left it"? Jamie asked, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, and if you interrupt me again I'm going to remove your testicles with a butter knife are we clear"?

Jamie quietly bit on his bottom lip,

"Is that a yes or a no"? Peyton asked, irritated.

"I didn't know if I was allowed to answer or not".

Jamie heard his aunt let out a long sigh but he heard a man—who he was certain was his father chuckle a little in the background. That confirmed it. He was on speakerphone. Not that it mattered—Peyton was capable of killing him no matter how she spoke to him.

"The keys were in her purse" Peyton managed to say, and he could tell by her voice that her teeth were pressed together hard, most likely in anger—at him.

It was as if an alarm went off in Jamie's head, he now knew the reason for the call and death threats he was receiving.

"Ohhhhh," Jamie said as he tossed himself on to the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. "So, my dear old dad needs a favor—am I right"?

"James" he heard Nathan manage to choke out.

"I believe—I believe, that your exact words were—ahem," Jamie said, as he attempted to do the best impression of his father he could possibly do. "That car better not leave the driveway. I mean it—unless there is an emergency—".

"Which this is," Nathan told his son.

"Technically no, this does not qualify as an emergency" Jamie told him. "This is not a life or death situation, you call the cops and report moms purse stolen, but other than that this is nothing more than a delay in your educated guess as to what time you will arrive home".

The other end went quiet, and Jamie was certain he heard his parents whispering, arguing, his mom more than his dad. Although, he wasn't sure what they were arguing about he had a hunch, as he sat on the couch—grinning.

"What do you want"? Nathan finally asked, irritation in his voice.

"I want my grounded relinquished effective immediately".

One again it went quiet, except for the whispering of his parents—his mom who would clearly would do anything at this point to go home. Perhaps it was wrong, but this teenager didn't want to spend another night at home babysitting.

"I need my phone anyways" Jamie said, interrupting his parents. "I can get to Charleston but once I get there I need my gps, it's a big city. It's not like Tree Hill where you make four rights and you're right back in the middle of town".

Jamie knew that he had his father there, and better yet he knew that his father knew that he had him.

"Your phone is in my office," Nathan said. "It's in the safe underneath my desk. The code is the month you were born, the day Lydia was born, and the year your mom and I got married".

"So, zero five—that's all I got".

"You don't even know your sisters birthday"?! Peyton asked.

"It's zero five, nineteen, zero four" Nathan said.

"And my grounding is over"?

"Until you screw up again—yes" his father responded, clearly still doubtful about the situation.

"I'll be there shortly".

* * *

"I just got blackmailed by a sixteen-year-old," Nathan said, half tempted to throw the cell phone—which he probably would have, had it been his.

"Serves you right," Haley said, shrugging. "You grounded him without talking to me about it".

"Are we back on that"? Nathan asked tossing his head back. "I thought that's what all the make up sex was over".

"Too much information" Peyton moaned as she took her phone out of Nathan's hand. "It's okay if you want to keep somethings private".

"You just said the other day you agreed with the punishment," Nathan told his wife, ignoring Peyton's comment.

"Well, I changed my mind," Haley said shrugging turning away from him.

"Are they always like this"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.

But, she wasn't the one who answered.

"No," Nathan told him before Peyton could open her mouth with a response, rather it was the same one or not. "Only when Haley is up past nine," he said. "Oh, well. Once he gets here I will take his phone back—".

"And what teach him to lie"? Peyton interjected. "He is grounded, not because of the tattoos but because he went behind your back—isn't that the same thing as doing that"?

"I agree," Haley said.

Nathan looked from the blonde to the brunette, ultimately cornered. So, he chose to look up at Jake—to find that his old high school friend was not going to share a glance with him.

"What's your take on this, Jake"? Nathan asked folding his arms.

Suddenly Nathan wasn't the only one looking at him, but the two women were as well.

"What do I—"? Jake began pointing at himself but knew the answer before he could ask the question. "I think—it's not my herd, not BS".

"You two deserve each other" Nathan told Peyton.

"We aren't together," Peyton told Nathan, firmly.

"Yet" Haley managed to choke out.

"This you two are going to get along on"? Peyton asked, looking at the married couple. "You were fighting just ten seconds ago".

"Oh, that was nothing. Nathan was right—it's past my bedtime" Haley said waving the comment off. "I'm still a little bitter over Nathan not consulting with me, but he is right I agreed with the punishment and my purse was just stolen, I'm exhausted—and we have nowhere but the hard pavement to sit".

Through the midst of the conversation, Nathan, however, was still stuck only one factor.

"I just got blackmailed by a sixteen-year-old"!

* * *

Madison locked the door to the café, her feet completely throbbing. She wanted nothing more than to lay across the counter, and it was tempting—but she knew she had a much more comfortable bed waiting for her at home.

So, she opted to begin cleaning up—and she wasn't moving as fast as she was most nights. But, it wasn't until she was shutting the blinds that she remembered she wasn't alone, at the sight of Brooke's car she knew her boss was still here but couldn't recall the last time she had seen her. Which she spent the last hour, possibly longer, resting at the counter once the large crowd finally died down.

"Brooke"? Madison called as she walked into the kitchen. "Are you here"?

Nothing.

Madison immediately checked where they kept the red wine, not for serving of course but Hale's private stash that she would forever claim she didn't know about. But, it was just as empty as the kitchen.

Confused. Worried—? Maybe?

Madison walked around the corner to find the door wide open that led to the roof on top of the café. The door was never open, so it was fairly tempting.

"Brooke"? Madison called as she began to climb the stairs. "Broo—".

Madison didn't have time to finish her name the second time as she stepped out on to the roof when a she felt a giant smack to the face—and a large splash of water hit her. When she looked down she saw the remainder of a water balloon lying next to her feet, and when she looked up she saw Brooke standing across from her smiling—ear to ear.

"You. Are. So. Dead" Madison said though she was smiling as she did.

Madison was tired, exhausted, as though she couldn't go anymore but instead, she grabbed a water balloon—out of one of the large buckets that were full, that showed her what exactly Brooke had been up to, before lunging it at Brooke. It hit her across the chest, before devolving an all-out war between the two.

By the time they ran out of water balloons the two were each soaked from head to toe, but both smiling and laughing as they laid across the roof next to each other.

"If I ever have a daughter—I pray to God she is like you," Brooke told Madison as she sat up.

"Seriously"? Madison asked arching an eyebrow. "Jamie says I'm a pain in his ass".

Brooke laughed hysterically.

"Have you ever noticed that Jamie has a girls ass"? Madison asked—perhaps the exhaustion had caught up with her, but the thought of Jamie and ass led her to this moment.

But, she wasn't wrong.

"No"! Brooke said—tears rolling down her face. "I have never looked at Jamie's ass—other than when I was changing his diaper once when he was a baby".

"Hold on," Madison said pulling her phone out of her back pocket as she sat up next to Brooke, surprised it wasn't wet.

"Don't tell me you have a picture of his butt—".

"Don't worry he is dressed, I took it right after his basketball practice a couple of days ago".

"I don't want to see that"!

"Yes, you do," Madison said, still laughing. "His ringtone is bubble butt—my hand to God he has a woman's ass. It's like Kim Kardashian—that was a bit dramatic. But, he does have a woman's butt".

Brooke reluctantly took the phone and looked down, before she started laughing. "Oh, my god. He does—it's so round".

Brooke handed Madison her phone back but she simply dropped it and laid back down across the roof.

"I love Jamie's ass".

Brooke laid down next to Madison once again, smiling.

"I used to love Julian's ass".

Madison stopped smiling, briefly, she had heard the stories and even met Brooke's late husband a time or two but she never knew. She didn't want to ask, not because she wasn't curious but because she didn't want to pry.

So, she couldn't be certain what made her open her mouth at this moment, but it happened.

"What-what happened to him"? Madison asked softly looking at Brooke.

Brooke's whole demeanor changed at the question, but not in a way that indicated he was angry at Madison for the question. "He—he had a heart attack".

"He was so young though".

"The last few years before he passed away he traveled—a lot. He worked a lot. He produced movies and directed and he ran his own show. I was so proud of him—but with all the traveling I couldn't remember the last time he sat down and ate a home-cooked meal" Brooke told Madison. "He was always eating fast food, he never gained weight though. He looked as healthy as a horse—we thought he was. But, he wasn't. That mixed with the stress his job put on him, he never complained of stress because he loved his job but took up a lot of his time and he was always working—one day he woke up complaining of chest pain. He had just got back home the day before, so he just thought it was jet lag or something, it was a fatal mistake us not going to the hospital. I should have insisted, but the twins kept me on my toes enough I don't even remember if I really listened to him and what he was saying that day until I looked back on it when I think of my last moments with him".

"Brooke, I'm so sorry".

"The boys were around back playing and Julian was dancing in the living room with Lydia, he was like her second dad—I was on a conference call for God knows what when I heard her screaming," Brooke told Madison. "I called nine one, one. But, he was gone by the time they got there".

"That must have been horrible," Madison said taking her hand. "I'm so sorry, you had to experience that".

"People never want to bring him up" Brooke admitted. "No one ever asks me about him, anymore. But, I love talking about him. I built up this wall—not wanting to let anyone in, and he was so patient with me in tearing it down. He knew I was worth it, that we would be worth it. When it comes to Julian everyone walks on eggshells around me about him, as if I'm going to just break talking about him or hearing his name—it's actually worse than not talking about him. I want to keep his memory alive, for the boys. For myself. I miss him, every day. Do you know? We used to have stupid fights".

Madison looked over at Brooke who was already starring back at her.

"I don't want to pry in your relationship with Jamie, but you never know what's going to happen," Brooke told her. "So, don't let a little stupid fight rob you of your time together".

"Should I go see him"?

"Not tonight," Brooke told her. "I talked to Lauren earlier tonight, and I have to tell you something".

"Am I going to be able to stay with you"? Madison asked, hopeful.

"I'm not sure about that yet—Maddie, this is about your parents".

Before Brooke could tell the teenager anymore, the two saw a bright light of blue flashing lights. They each ran to the edge of the roof, looking over the wall.

"Is that—Lauren"? Madison asked, frantically. "She is in the back of the police car, oh my god".

Brooke looked down to find that Lauren was sitting in a parked police car, that sat behind a white vehicle—that had a stare sticker on the side. When she looked up Madison was gone, and her stomach dropped.

* * *

Lucas opened his eyes and slowly sat up—realizing he was still in the living room, on the couch, completely unaware as to when or how he fell asleep. Or passed out, if he had to venture a guess.

Out of habit he picked his phone up that lay on the end table next to the couch and glanced down.

"Not one text message" he heard and felt his head immediately drop at the sound of Dan's voice. "Not one missed call—not even a Facebook notification".

"I have a twitter notification thank you very much," Lucas said as he sat up.

"Oh, someone just retweeted a funny meme you shared," Dan said taking Lucas' phone. "That boy off the basketball team, Mikey—".

"The little prick," Dan and Lucas said, together.

Lucas looked up, and rather it was a dream or a vision or it was, in fact, those brownies he ate—he looked at his father. He really, really looked at him.

But, all he saw was himself.

"What—What made you the way you were"? Lucas asked looking at Dan. "What made you be—"?

"A selfish, arrogant—murder"?

"Keith isn't dead" Lucas reminded him. "You aren't a murder".

"I will always be a murder," Dan said looking sown at Lucas' phone. "When you get on the internet and you look me up, that will always be the first thing people see. That is the legacy I left, that will always be how I am remembered. The mayor who killed his brother, Keith is alive and once that gets out he will make headline—hero found alive or some cheesy title like that but as for me, it will never change people's perception of me. Keith was always the most forgiving person I had ever known, but when he wakes up and he finds out that I robbed him of watching his daughter grow up—he was meant to be a father, I wasn't, he will never forgive me".

"You don't know that".

"I do".

"No, I meant you don't know if he will wake up or not," Lucas said. "He probably won't be able to forgive you, but your dead what's it matter"?

Dan shrugged. "I guess it doesn't, but it matters to me".

"You act as you love him but you tried to kill him," Lucas said. "I just want to understand why".

"There is no reason good enough or excuse viable enough to excuse what I did, and there never will be," Dan told him. "There is nothing I can say that will help you understand what I did, nothing".

"Then why do it"?

"Lucas, you're looking for something that I can't give you," Dan told him standing up. "You're looking for a clue or a sign to validate yourself into believing that you're nothing like me, but I can't give you that. You asked me earlier what made me this way—the way I was"?

"Yeah," Lucas said, nodding.

"I wanted so much for my father's approval, I tried so hard to be like him. I did everything just to make the old man proud, to be just like him. That's what shaped me into the man that shot and killed his brother. The man you knew. It was an obsession" Dan said. "You might want to be careful, or you might end up just like me".

"I don't want your approval and I certainly don't want to be like you," Lucas said.

"No, but you try just as hard to not be like me," Dan told him. "I assume your outcome may just the same".

"That I will murder one of my siblings"? Lucas asked. "Fat chance".

"No," Dan said, shaking his head. "That you will die alone, too—if there is one other mistake that I ever made it was letting your mom go. I'd hate for you to end up with a regret like letting the girl you're meant to be with—go. After all son, you do have my heart".

_Knock, Knock._

Lucas looked up at the door, and back to where his father—Dan has been standing to find the spot empty. He wasn't sure if it had been a dream or not, or whatever, but he shook it off as if none of it had happened—or at least that's what he told himself as he walked to the door and opened it.

"Brooke"? He asked as he turned the porch light on to reveal the woman standing in front of him.

"I know it's late," Brooke said, pushing past him. "Okay, really late—it's almost one a.m, but this couldn't wait".

"Is everything okay"?

"No," she said shaking her head profusely as she sat down on the couch. "I was panicking and I didn't know where else to go, I need your help. Social services just took Madison and placed her into foster care".

* * *

Jamie pulled into the empty parking lot, all except for one vehicle. His parents. Peyton and Haley were leaning over the hood of the SUV resting their heads upon their folded arms while his father had his back leaned against the vehicle talking to an unknown man—who he assumed to be Jake.

The teenager parked the car next to his parents quickly earning the attention of all the adults as he opened his door and hopped out of his own vehicle.

"What's that"? Haley asked, tiredly pointing at the tool in her son's hand.

"It's going to unlock your car—hopefully," Jamie told her. "It's a slim jim mom—I don't know if it has a technical name or not though, to be honest. Dad hold this will you"?

Nathan took the large flashlight out of his son's hand and shined it towards the car.

"What good is this going to do if we don't have the keys"? Peyton asked.

"I'm going to try and Hotwire it," Jamie told her as he began fidgeting with the tool in his hand and the driver's side window.

"Hotwire"? Nathan asked arching an eyebrow. "I'm really going to regret asking you this—but how the hell do you know how to do that"?

"Just don't ever run my fingerprints dad," Jamie said winking with a smile.

"James Lucas Scott"! Haley said, though she meant it to come off as a yell but apparently her voice was just as tired as she was.

"Mom, relax," Jamie said shaking his head. "People—like you call the shop all the time when they have lost their keys and need to get their car home as they wait for a new key" he explained to them. "I have never stolen a car—what the hell do you take me for"?

"I take you for a teenager who really needs to watch his mouth around his dad before he ends up grounded again," Nathan said.

Jamie rolled his eyes, but luckily for him, Nathan didn't see or he didn't seem to care. The five standing there heard a small click and Jamie opened the front door with a smile.

"Momma" they all heard and turned around to see Sawyer climbing out of Jamie's vehicle with Lydia close in tow.

"Hey baby," Peyton said bending down as her daughter wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Hi," Sawyer said looking up at the man next to her mom. "Are you my new daddy"?

Jamie couldn't help but snicker as he heard the ten-year-old giggling.

"Your sense of humor isn't cute at two in the afternoon let alone at two in the morning," Peyton told her daughter pointing her finger at her. "Speaking of why aren't you asleep"?

"Good question," Jamie said. "Especially after them Valiums I slipped her".

Jamie felt a smack to his arm, which he was sure from his aunt as he continued to fiddle with the wires in his parent's car, but that didn't stop him from smiling.

"The twins passed out ten minutes into the ride," Jamie told them. "But, we listened to Hannah Montana the whole way here—so who is paying for my hearing aids"?

"_You get the limo out front_" Sawyer sang, bouncing her hip.

"_Hottest styles, every shoe, every color_" Lydia sang along with her cousin twirling around.

"The blonde—that's your daughter"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.

"I know," she said nodding as the girls continued to sing and dance. "She looks just like her dad, aside from the hair it's hard to tell she even belongs to me".

"No," Jake said shaking his head. "Just find her music choice a bit off to be yours".

Peyton giggled, and it wasn't until the sound escaped from her lips that she realized how much she sounded like a high school girl and wanted to physically harm herself.

She thought a punch to the face would be sufficient.

"If you two don't stop I am making that call," Jamie said as he paused what he was doing briefly to glare at his cousin and sister.

The two immediately froze and ran to their mother's aid.

Even though Jamie said it low—and threatening to the children, the adults heard and were confused.

"What call"? Nathan asked his son.

"Erm—Santa," Jamie said, realizing how much trouble he could possibly in for this.

"No, not Santa"! Lydia cried into her mother's blouse. "Nanny Carrie".

"I'm sorry—Nanny Carrie"? Jamie heard his father ask as he kept his head down—knowing his father sounded closer than he did a few moments before.

"As in the Nanny Carrie"? Peyton asked, glaring at her nephew—ex nephew?

But, Jamie didn't have time to respond before they all heard the Engine lightly rumble.

The sixteen-year-old stood up but found that none of the adults had even noticed the car had been started, or even cared for that matter.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Jamie said holding his hands up in defense. "They weren't eating—I told them a little story about my childhood Nanny, that happened when I was younger than them might I add—and I will have you know they finished all their dinner".

"You have to be kidding me right now"! Haley said stomping her foot. "Lydia already has bed problems".

"I do not," Lydia told her mom backing away from her, her cheeks burning a bright red.

"Whatever" Jamie said shrugging. "Sawyer had four slices of pizza," he told Peyton.

"That's not an excuse—" Haley began.

"Actually," Peyton said slowly. "It's a little unorthodox but I can barely get Sawyer to take three bites in a full day—she ate four slices"?

"Plus desert," he said folding his arms, smiling.

"You're not actually saying you support this"? Haley asked, tilting her head looking at Peyton.

"No, of course not," Peyton said. "I'm saying that my daughter hasn't eaten that much food in one month time let alone a night—".

"Sometimes I can't be certain that Jamie isn't a product of you and Lucas—".

"Well, no one can't be certain he isn't Lucas' son either. He looks just like him".

"Except sexier" Jamie corrected her. "Much sexier".

"Excuse me while I vomit," Sawyer said covering her throat with her hands. "But, you might want to be careful—she has a type," she said throwing her thumb over her shoulder at her mom.

"I have—I have a What"? Peyton asked looking down at her daughter.

"A type. Oh, please it's painfully obvious".

"Painfully obvious"? Peyton asked. "Have you been watching Mary Poppins again"?

"On the contrary mother dear—".

"Sawyer cut it out".

"I just have one question"! Sawyer said demanding her mother's attention for one second longer.

"And what's that"?

"Which one dicked you down first"? Sawyer asked, scratching her head. "Because, whoever that's who you've been trying to be with all along".

"Dicked me—Where did you—Jamie"!

Jamie has snuck over to his car where he sat in the driver's seat unable to control his laughter, he was sure he could be injured but he just didn't care.

"I'm serious though mom" Sawyer said crossing her arms. "I know you were with uncle Julian and daddy—they did resemble each other quite a bit and now this guy, who aunt Haley said you dated in high school so which one dicked you down first? That's probably the reason you end up dating John Krasinski look alike. Let's face it, you're no Emily Blunt".

"Do you even know what dicked down means"? Peyton asked rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Or is it something you heard your cousin say and repeat".

"We know what it means," Lydia said putting her hands on her hips. "My mom dicks my dad down every night".

"That answers my question—every night"? Peyton asked, looking up at Haley and Nathan.

"Yeah," Lydia said, nodding. "I used to think they were wrestling but they make all kinds of noises—like you hear on the discovery channel".

Peyton suddenly found amusement in the current situation. Nathan and Haley, who were both bright red, did not.

"And I don't know what the other noises are but one sounds like that noise thumper made with his feet on Bambi" Lydia said scratching her head.

"That's not wrestling, my parents wrestled" Sawyer said pointing at her mom. "Inside their bedroom it sounded like WWE Smackdown—live! My mom once told my dad to go to hell—".

Peyton quickly covered her daughter's mouth before she could go any further.

"Well," Jamie said. "That got awkward".

"Let's just go home," Haley said.

"I still have to drop Jake off at his car why don't you two just ride with Jamie—you'll get home a lot faster," Nathan told the girls.

"Okay" Haley said before looking down at Sawyer and Lydia. "Get in—now".

Everyone quickly piled into their designated vehicle, except for Peyton and Jake.

"She doesn't know about her dad and me" Peyton explained. "I don't think she realizes what a date is, but she overheard Haley and I talking—anyways we are going to tell her when it's finalized".

"You're a great mom, Peyton" Jake told her. "But, you may already be too late—I believe she knows about you and Lucas".

"You think"?

"That daddy joke—funny as it was, I don't think she would have made it if she didn't know something was off about her parents" he told her. "She is smart. She vaguely reminds me of someone I know".

"Whose that"? Peyton asked, cheekily.

"Just this girl I knew in high school—really hot and had the sexiest set of chicken legs I think I have ever seen" Jake told her. "I heard you and Haley earlier and how you said this wasn't a date—I completely—".

Peyton lightly placed her lips on his, just for a brief second.

"And I meant it" she said. "This would have been an awful first date, but if you want to call me and arrange one, I'd say yes".

* * *

After stopping for gas Jamie drove, and he drove. Eventually blondie Jr and little miss muppet passed out, as did Peyton who sat next to them. Haley however, wasn't bound to let her son drive alone this late and instead of falling asleep she drank her cup of coffee as she watched her son drive the night time road.

"You tired"? Haley asked looking at Jamie—who had a puzzled look on his face as he continued to drive.

"Erm—Yeah".

"But, that's not what's bothering you, is it"?

"What makes you say that"? Jamie asked, glancing over at his mom briefly.

"A mother knows," she told him. "I never believed my mom until I became one myself, but it's true. I can always tell when something is wrong with you or Lydia—even if you don't tell me about it. I still know".

Jamie didn't talk to his mom, not about his personal life, not anymore. It felt strange to do so but for some reason, he felt like he wanted to on this night.

He blamed the exhaustion.

"It's just Maddie—I text her when I got my phone back and she hasn't text me back," he told Haley.

"Jamie—it's almost four in the morning and we are still an hour away from Tree Hill," Haley said taking his hand. "She is probably sleeping".

"But, I text her right after I left the house it was almost eleven, it took me forever to get the kids ready," he said shaking his head. "She doesn't even get off work until eleven and she would have still had to drive him. She hasn't even read it or be on Facebook or anything—I just feel like somethings wrong".

"Like, What"? Haley asked. "You know she wouldn't ever cheat on you".

"Oh, I know that—I can't explain it mom but something in my gut is telling me something is wrong".

"Okay, so let's stop by her house on the way through," Haley told him. "I remember when your dad got kidnapped, I just knew something was wrong—I couldn't explain it. But, I see the way you look at her Jamie. So, we can stop by, everyone is asleep. It will be five or five-thirty by the time we get there so you might be waking a beast—but even if it's nothing always trust your gut".

Jamie nodded, not vocally but beyond thankful for his mom.

"I actually thought about something tonight," he told her honestly. "When I was talking to Jude—it's about Lydia".

"Oh"?

"About the bedwetting, I heard you and dad talk about it," Jamie said. "What is her imaginary friend's name"?

"Jules".

"Do you think that could be short for Julian"?

Haley paused, and she looked at her son who thankfully had his eyes glued to the road.

"You probably didn't think about it because right after Julian died she seemed fine. Right"? Jamie asked and his mom nodded. "But, none of this started until after the one year anniversary of his death—mom she was in the room with him when it happened. That's something traumatic for a kid to experience, Lydia and the twins shared dad's. Julian and Dad both traveled, a lot. So, when dad was gone that's who Lydia was glued to—".

"Do you think it's some sort of form of PTSD"?

"I don't know. But, I do think therapy needs to stop being a conversation between you and dad" Jamie told her. "I remember talking about the whole Carrie incident—both, of the car accident, or—basically my whole childhood I had these god awful nightmares. I would wake up sweating and shaking, it helped once I talked to someone".

Haley looked at her son, she found it unbelievably hard to look at him because what he was saying made perfect sense.

"I'm sorry," Haley said.

"For what"?

"You were completely robbed of your childhood," Haley said looking down. "I just wis—".

"Mom, it's not your fault. None of it is. I'm a big boy now" he joked. "It's all in the past".

"You sure are".

"I spent years in karate and I have spent the last two training in martial arts and self-defense classes—I'm big enough now to take care of myself if I have to".

"That's been my problem here recently—I just want you to stay little" Haley admitted. "You're a sophomore in high school and my time with you is winding down".

"I'm not dying".

Haley chuckled. "I know that," she told him. "But, you're going to move out and start a life of your own—you won't need me anymore".

"Mom, I'll always need you," Jamie said as he took her hand. "You're my mom. But, you're right I'm not a little kid anymore, I think that's part of the reason I got the tattoos and the piercings and everything else I have done recently".

"What do you mean"?

"It took me years to shake the nickname Jimmie Jam, ma," he said. "I just get tired of everyone seeing me as this kid, I'm not a kid. I haven't been a kid for a long time".

"I know," Haley said resting her head against her son's shoulder, who towered over her—even sitting down in the car. "But, you'll always be my baby".

"Can we agree to disagree"?

Haley and Jamie both chuckled, and for the first time in so long, she couldn't remember Haley felt her heart beam at her son. It was the first time he felt like the little boy she longed to see every day.

The two spent the rest of the ride talking and laughing until they reached Lauren's house right over the line of Tree Hill. Haley waited as her son went to the door before coming back, and jumping back in the car—looking worse than before.

"No one is home," Jamie told Haley. "I knocked and knocked. All I heard was Maddie's little damn dog yapping so I went in and no one was there".

"At five—" Haley said looking at the watch on her wrist. "Thirty-three on Sunday morning? That's unusual—does Madison open this morning"?

"No".

"Go to the café in case someone called in, Brooke text me last night and said there were some call-ins, she had to go help".

Jamie drove across town and parked outside the café.

"Her car is here," Haley said.

"I'll be right back".

Once again Haley waited, and once again when her son returned he looked—even though she didn't think it was possible, worse than before.

"Kameron said when she got there this morning her car was here, her keys and phone were on the counter," Jamie told Haley holding her phone up. "Mom, I'm starting to panic. She would never leave her phone or her car. I busted my ass to put a down payment on that car for her, she wouldn't just leave it and the keys".

"Okay, she worked with Brooke let's go to Brooke's, there has to be an explanation for this".

Jamie drove, probably a little faster than he should have but when he arrived at Brooke's, Haley knew she shared the same face that Jamie did.

"Peyton's car is here, but where is Brooke's"? Jamie asked, in a panic.

"Just breathe, there has to be a reasonable—".

"Hello"? Peyton's groggily voice said.

Jamie and Haley both looked back at Peyton, who had been awoken by her ringing—the two up front unaware until now.

"Here," Peyton said, reaching her hand up to Haley. "It's your husband," she said before shutting her eyes once again.

"Hello"? Haley asked pressing the phone to her ear. "Nathan"? Jamie heard his mom ask. "We are at Brooke's, Jamie was worried about Madison so we went to her house and—Brooke and Lucas is there? What—? Erm—yeah. Okay, we will be there shortly. I love you, too".

Haley pressed the end button on Peyton's phone and looked over at her son, who was waiting for an answer. Any answer. But, what little she knew wasn't enough to tell him, so she looked forward.

"Go home," Haley told him.

"But—".

"Jamie just drive home," Haley said softly.

Haley watched as her son drove, with his shaky hands. She knew he had questions and she knew he wanted to ask them, but he knew that if she was going to tell him something she already would have. But, as nervous as he was Haley was certain she was more anxious, as her mind raced.

Haley never felt her stomach drop at the sight of her husband, but as Jamie drove his vehicle down the driveway of their family home—Haley looked at Nathan and could feel her stomach turning in knots.

Jamie shakily parked his car and stepped out of his car, as he looked up at Brooke, Lucas, and his dad who stood waiting. For him.

"I'll help you with the kids," Brooke told Peyton and Haley who had climbed out of the car, as she walked over.

Jamie watched as Sawyer groggily walked inside led by her mother who had Davis in her arms, Haley walking behind him with Lydia, and Brooke walked in the house last with Jude wrapped around her thin body.

Jamie felt his knees buckle as he walked over to his uncle and his father.

"Where is she"? He asked, immediately. "Is she—is she okay? Dad, where is she"?

"Let's step inside," Nathan told his son.

Jamie didn't argue as his father led him into the house with his hand on his back. Lucas and Nathan both sat down on the couch but Jamie couldn't seem to walk past the welcome mat inside his house.

"Dad".

"Here sit down".

"No, just tell me damn it" Jamie ordered.

Normally, Nathan would scold him and perhaps he shouldn't let up on him too much but knowing what he knew this was different.

"Lauren is in jail" Lucas began. "She was arrested for kidnapping".

"Kid—what"? Jamie asked walking near them sitting down on the ottoman in front of them. "She would never do such a thing. I know she wouldn't".

"She was arrested for kidnapping Madison," Nathan told his son. "Madison's parents aren't in Barcelona, in fact, they are in prison in Texas—twenty-five to life, and to make matters worse they aren't her real parents. They took her when she was first born, we don't know all the details yet—".

"Dad, you're confusing me," Jamie said, looking at Nathan tears beginning dwell in his eyes. "You just told me Maddie was kidnapped, twice. I don't understand".

"Lauren isn't exactly a real kidnapping case—I mean she is, but she was just looking out for Madison," Nathan told his son. "Her parents—the people who claimed to be her parents, they abandon her, from what we have gathered they were on the run and their location got tipped off so they ran and left Madison behind".

"By herself"? Jamie choked out. "Where is she dad"?

"She has been taken into the state's custody—".

"Foster care"? Jamie asked, jumping up. "We have to go get here—why are we just sitting here talking"?

"It's not that simple," Lucas told his nephew standing up. "First of all, we don't have a clue where she is"!

"Then we can—I don't know go to—".

"Jamie" Brooke said as she walked into the room with Peyton and Haley by her side. "There is more. She has been put into a temporary home, that information they did give me" she told him. "For a week or two, then they want to locate here to a permanent home".

"Like adoption"?

"No," Brooke said. "They call it a permanent home but she would likely be transferred in a couple of months, but they are relocating her to New Jersey—".

"What"? Jamie screeched, his voice bouncing off the walls. "Why are we just sitting here? We have to do something—we have to go get her"!

Jamie heard his voice break and felt tears strolling down his eyes, he couldn't remember the last time he had cried—in front of anyone. Including his parents, which was the same thing that was on their mind, but Jamie didn't seem to care.

The only thing on his mind was his girlfriend, he headed towards the door—not entirely sure where he was going but he had to go.

But, Peyton beat him to the door as she stood in front of it.

"Jamie, you have nowhere to go," Peyton said holding her hand up in front of him. "I can't let you leave".

"You're exhausted," Haley said walking towards her son. "You haven't slept all night, you need to go upstairs and go to bed".

"No," Jamie said shaking his head brutally. "I need Maddie. I need to get to her, she is with strangers and—".

"Jamie" Brooke said walking to her godson's side. "I don't even know where she is and right now we have no way of finding out. We will have better luck, tomorrow. I'm going to try and fix this".

"I can find her, I know I can—".

"Son" Nathan said walking next to Peyton. "I can't let you leave," he told him as he took his son's keys out of his hands. "We are going to figure this out".

Jamie looked around, he was outnumbered by the longtime group. He was pissed. He swung his foot kicking his mom's ottoman across the room, hearing it crash into something but he didn't care.

"I need to talk to her"! Jamie screamed his voice barely understandable to those around him.

"Jamie" Lucas said walking towards his nephew. "You need to calm down, she is safe. She isn't out on the streets or anything, she has a bed".

"I don't know where she is" Jamie screamed. "I can't even talk to her or see her".

Jamie backed against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor, breaking down.

"What if I never see her again"?

"We won't let that happen," Peyton told him.

"How can you say that? You don't know where she is, either—I can't breath".

Haley ran to her son who had begun hyperventilating in the living room floor, his face covered in tears.

"Just breath".

"I ca-can't" he barely managed to choke out his voice shaky. "I—I don't understand what's happening".

"It's an anxiety attack," Nathan told his son squatting down in front of Jamie, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Just breathe. Focus on me. Look at me, no one else. Listen to the sound of my voice, try to relax".

As if.

* * *

_Call all your friends  
And tell them you're never coming back  
Cause this is the end  
Pretend that you want it  
Don't react  
The damage is done  
The police are coming too slow now  
I would have died  
I would have loved you all my life_

_You're losing your memory now  
You're losing your memory now  
You're losing your memory now  
You're losing your memory, now_

* * *

**_A/N Long chapter, I know, So I am going to try to keep this authors note short and sweet, but we all know how I am._**

**_I tried my best to successfully explain without giving too much away about Madison, but more will be revealed. I tried to keep the first half of this chapter uplifted and with humor because the end would not be. I have never wrote an emotional part like I did for this chapter. When I began writing this chapter I knew I wanted two things. One was I knew how I wanted Jamie to respond to the news, this is the love of his life it's not just some High school relationship this has been his girlfriend since he was a child, almost 10 years and he doesn't know if he will ever see her again, he doesn't know where she is, and worst of all he has no way to communicate with her. But, the second thing I knew I wanted the court five to be there for him. I knew I wanted him to be in the room with you, so I had to find a way to make that happen and that's why Haley lost her keys! There Will be no repercussions for that. _**

**_ I want to thank everyone again for reading and reviewing the story, it means the world to me. _**

**_ I was on quite a roll there and then with this chapter I knew what I wanted but I had the worst time writing it, any writer knows that writers block sucks. _**

**_Coming up next chapter is Keith's big surgery, locating Madison, and Lucas just might reveal his feelings to Brooke._**

**_ I I am really excited about some of the up coming storylines, there won't just be one surprise pregnancy but two! In true tree hill session one of those pregnancies will end with a big shebang, without giving too much away but just a little teaser someone will go into labor in a life and death situation that will involve not just the teenagers but all the children and perhaps one of the adults. You got to see The originals in the school shooting episode, this time you will get to see them on the other side. The other pregnancy will end completely normal, which is unlike tree hill at all. I have so much coming up and I'm going to try to update as soon as I can. _**


	12. Feels like home

**_Disclaimer: I don't own nothing but the storylines, all rats go to their rightful owners._**

**_Trigger: if you have made it this far then nothing in this chapter is going to be at trigger but just in case! Family arguments, talks of teenage sex, violence, and or etc. But, if you made it all nine seasons then nothing in this chapter is going to offend you. _**

**_I will give a small warning that this is my longest chapter with the most drama._**

**_Enjoy :) _**

* * *

_Chantal Kreviazuk: It feels like home_

_Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself  
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms  
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast  
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life_

* * *

Nathan yawned as he stepped out of his car as he slowly—and steadily, after the long tiring day he had at his office, made his way towards the front door to his home. He glanced down at the watch on his wrist, knowing he should have been home more than two hours. The time had already passed ten and the sun had already set as the moon hung high up on in the sky.

The exhausted thirty-four-year-old reached out and spun the doorknob before pushing the door open, and stepped over the threshold into his home. It took a lot to surprise Nathan when it came to his family, he had learned to expect the unexpected years ago—probably around the same time he got married in high school, but in this night he was surprised.

Haley sat on the couch with a large folder in her hand—most likely grading papers, but that wasn't what surprised him. Jamie lay—fast asleep, with his head across his mother's lap, his cheeks puffy, and his eyes so red Nathan would have guessed they were swollen shut at first glance until he realized his son was sleeping.

"Hey" Haley whispered looking up at Nathan as she ran her fingers through Jamie's sandy blonde hair.

"Still no word on Madison" Nathan assumed as the sight of his son as he quietly closed the door behind him.

"No," Haley said shaking his head, though she didn't need to confirm his theory. "Brooke is doing everything she can to find her, but so far—legally, there is nothing we can do. We aren't family members, and we have no idea if she has any or where they would be. Jamie said she hasn't been at school either".

"It's Wednesday," Nathan said as he removed his shoes by the door. "They took her Saturday night, you would think we would have heard something by now".

"Brooke has one more trick left up her sleeve that we are going to try tomorrow," Haley told her husband as he disappeared into the kitchen. "Just don't be surprised if you see a large withdrawal out of the bank in the morning".

"Exactly how large"? Nathan asked as he stepped back into the living room holding the plate his wife had fixed him hours previously of the dinner she had cooked for her family, and a beer.

"Don't ask?" Haley said, shaking her head. "But, in a couple of years when Jamie gets his inheritance money from Dan, he is going to owe us a pretty penny".

"Lovely" Nathan said as he sat down in the recliner. "Is he doing any better"?

"Not in the least," Haley said, though she wished her answer were better. "Nathan, I haven't seen him cry since he was a kid—and even then he barely shed a tear, he hasn't spoken to her since Friday at school and I guess she was still mad at him".

"Oh, it was a stupid little high school fight".

"I know that, and so does he but I don't think the two have ever gone more than twenty-four hours speaking," Haley told Nathan as she watched him eat. "He hasn't even seen her in five days, we don't know where she is—I have never seen him like this".

"I know what you mean" Nathan agreed. "I would kill for a smart ass remark to come out of his mouth right about now, normally he would be gloating that he one-upped me and got out of his grounding—and it would last, for weeks. But, he is just like a zombie walking around her, and I don't mean like every other teenager glued to their phone".

"Which he is—he has his phone and her phone at all times," Haley told Nathan. "He told me that she doesn't know he got ungrounded so if she gets a phone she might try to call hers, I don't know. I think this is the first time he has slept since it happened—don't get mad".

"You know, Hales—no good sentence ever starts out like that".

"I told him he didn't have to go to school tomorrow" Haley admitted. "Chuck and Andre talked to me today, they were worried. He hasn't been doing good at practice, which is unlike him—they said he doesn't even talk to them. I noticed him zoning out in class every day".

"It's fine" Nathan assured her. "I'm not mad. I was going to do the same thing. Keith has his surgery in the morning anyway".

"I haven't spoken to Lucas, how is he handling that"?

"Not well" Nathan answered. "In theory is one thing but at ten in the morning they are going to wheel Keith back there—and we don't know if they are going to wheel him back".

"No matter what, I think you and Lucas made the right call about having the surgery," Haley told him. "Keith wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life as a vegetable. I just know he wouldn't, he is a fighter. Always has been".

"I wish I had known him that well" Nathan admitted. "I know Dan saved my life, and I try not to be bitter at him because of that—but he makes it so easy to hate him".

"When we were trying to get pregnant I thought if we had a boy, naming him after Dan" Haley admired. "Not because we have this long great history with your father, but because he died saving your life. Then I thought, does that really make up for the life he took? Your his son, that was his job to protect you—but it was also his job for Lucas, too. So, do all the good he did after he got out of prison to make up for all the bad that led him there"?

"I think if Keith does wake up—its best that Dan is already dead," Nathan said.

"I stopped at the café to cover Madison's shift yesterday, and I saw them removing his headstone," Haley told him. "It was such an odd thing to watch".

"What if he doesn't make it, Hales"? Nathan asked his wife. "We have another funeral for him? We bury him—again"?

"We will have to one day but I refuse to believe that, that day is soon," Haley told him. "Keith is strong. He will pull through. I just know it".

"You should share some of your optimism with, Lucas" Nathan said. "He could really use it, his entire life has become nothing but those crash and burn scenario videos they make you watch on the last day of school when they got nothing left to teach".

It shouldn't have been funny, but Haley giggled.

"Are you going to stop by the hospital tomorrow"? Nathan asked his wife.

"I'm not working tomorrow," Haley told him. "I have a few things I need to do with Brooke and Peyton, but I will be there. The school was pretty understanding as to why I wouldn't be attending tomorrow".

"Clay was too," Nathan said. "I talked to mom earlier, she was finally able to convince Lily to go home and rest for the night. Well, she would only go with Mom so they are at her house—Luke is staying with Keith".

"Lily talking to him—at all"?

"Other than quoting the most savage golden girls comebacks at him—nope".

Nathan sat his empty plate down before drinking the last few sips of his beer and disposed of it as well.

"Lydia, had her first therapy session this morning," Haley told Nathan.

"How did it go"?

"I'm not sure," Haley told him. "The therapist doesn't want to talk about it with me, yet. She wasn't to evaluate her over the course of four weeks before she gives me any information and Lydia hasn't said anything about it either".

"I hope this works, no matter what the problem is," Nathan said. "I just hate that we didn't see what was causing it".

"But, our smart sixteen-year-old did"

Nathan looked up and saw his wife looking down at their sleeping teen, as she continued running her fingers through his hair.

"You know if he was about six years younger I would carry him to his bed," Nathan said. "Strange isn't it? How fast they grow on you".

"You could still carry him to his bed".

"Hales, he is taller than me and weighs more than two hundred pounds—he drinks protein shakes like they are going to stop selling them and don't tell him I said this but the kid bench presses more than I do" Nathan admitted. "I couldn't carry him if I wanted to".

* * *

Lily opened the door to the bedroom she had slept in, except she didn't exactly sleep. She laid in a bed that once belonged to Nathan, or maybe it never belonged to him but Deb bought a new bed and just kept everything the same in his old room. That seemed more believable than a bed that was older than she was.

It really goes to show how much sleep she didn't get.

As Lily made her way through Deb's house she followed the strong smell of coffee brewing that led her to the kitchen, where she found Nathan's mom cooking—or attempting was a better word for it.

"Damn it, damn it," Deb said she pulled a smoking pan off the stove and ran across the kitchen before throwing it into the sink.

"Smells good in here," Lily said with a small smile.

Deb looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "It's going to be a long day, I wanted you to have a good breakfast".

"Deb".

"Yeah"?

Deb turned around as Lily took a big bite out of a donut she pulled out of the box from the café, then smiled at the blonde in front of her.

"I meant a healthy breakfast," Deb said, as she turned the stove off. "I never was any good at these type of things when Nathan was a teenager, either".

"What type of things"?

"Think of anything a mom does—I'm bad at every one of them," Deb told her. "I wasn't a good mom, I wasn't a good wife—".

"I'm sure that's not true".

"I slept with Nathan's little friend when he was in high school and then I dated his friend—after they graduated but he was still Nathan's friend and eighteen years younger than I was," Deb said. "Oh, I tried to kill my husband and I slept with his brother and—".

"Wait—What"? Lily asked her mouth full of the donut she had been eating. "You slept with my dad"?

"Oh, Lily—I slept with everyone's dad".

Lily looked at her, and shockingly enough had to admire her honesty.

"It's a long story," Deb told her. "One that I'll let your dad tell you if he wants you to know".

"You say that like you know he is going to wake up after this, the doctors said there is no guarantee that this will work—".

"He will wake up".

"I want to believe that—I really do, it just seems too good to be true".

"He is here isn't he"? Deb asked as she sat down next to the teenager. "That alone seems to good to be true, but he is. It's understandable to be a little scared".

"A lot, scared" Lily corrected her. "I just don't want to loose him when I haven't even got him back yet" she said as she dropped her head. "Just a week ago I didn't have a dad, he was dead. I mean—with my mom it's hard, but it's bearable because I have these memories with her. I have these great, wonderful—amazing memories of her. I have a few good pictures of my dad, but that's it".

"By the time this is all over you will have thousands of pictures with your dad".

"I hope so".

* * *

Peyton turned the Engine off before stepping out of her car in the driveway of Nathan and Haley's house, to see Brooke had also just arrived as the fashion diva shut the door to her SUV. The blonde walked over, joining her best friend.

"Hey," Peyton said as she watched Brooke open the back of her car. "How was the first night in your new house"?

"It went fine," Brooke told her. "I told you bribery works every time—if I hadn't slipped them that extra money I would still be living with you for another six to eight weeks".

"Brooke, it's your house—I told you I could have left".

"Even if you had, it's still only a two-bedroom," Brooke said. "If I am even able to get Madison they are going to want to do a home evaluation, it just made more sense. I hired a decorator and they should be finished by four today—she has worked so hard the past couple days on the house".

"Just relax," Peyton told her. "We will get her back".

"I'm not stressed," Brooke told Peyton as she gathered files out of the back of her car. "If they don't hand her over I will just burn the place down".

"That should do it," Peyton said, rolling her eyes. "Arson. That will really help them allow you to have custody of her".

"These are my files from when I had Sam, and Angie," Brooke told Peyton. "References and everything, Sam even wrote one for me".

"I didn't know you still spoke to Sam," Peyton told Brooke as she shut the back of her friend's car.

"Yeah—She has been married to Jack for six or seven years I believe," Brooke told her as they walked towards Haley's front door. "They got married the second they were both eighteen, she writes and he works for social services. They foster children actually—they adopted one and she said they are going to try and have their own in a few years but they both grew up in the system and want to provide a better home for kids like them".

"Oh, Brooke that's wonderful," Peyton told her. "See? Look, how you turned that girl's life around, how could they deny you for Madison"?

"If they know what's good for them".

Brooke didn't bother knocking on the door instead she pushed it open—but was immediately silenced before she could speak by Haley. The girls in the doorway looked to find Jamie asleep on the couch, covered by a small throw blanket that barely covered his long brawny body.

"Sorry" Brooke mouthed at Haley.

Haley pointed towards the kitchen.

Brooke nodded, as she quietly sat her large stack of folders on the coffee table looking over her shoulder at Peyton who silently shut the door before they each followed Haley.

"I let him skip school today," Haley told them as she got herself a water out of the refrigerator. "I wasn't going, and he really needs the sleep. I think part of it is he knows we will have answers today, and he wants to know the minute we know—which I promised him I would tell him first".

"Of course," Peyton said, nodding. "How is he"?

"Not good," Haley said, honestly. "He doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat—the doctor prescribed him something just to get him to sleep. I argued with him for forty-five minutes just to get him to take it—he begged me not to, he said he didn't want to be asleep if we heard something on Madison she told them. "Jamie has been kidnapped, chased through a cornfield, been in a car accident, lost his role model, bullied, and I could go on and on—but I never can remember a time where he has curled up in my lap and cried himself to sleep. I don't know if he will recover if we don't get her back—he will probably chase her to New Jersey".

"Well, we aren't going to let that happen," Brooke told Haley. "I refuse to accept that. Here are today's plans—Keith is going to make it out of surgery—alive and Madison will be living with me by tonight. Any questions"?

"I do have one" Peyton admitted.

"What's that"?

"When did you become Queen"?

"The day she was born" they all heard and looked to see Jamie slowly walking into the kitchen.

"Exactly," she said, nodding her head. "I'm Brooke Davis".

"Brooke Penelope Davis," Jamie said, his voice hoarse and his face low, as he sat down at the kitchen counter.

Brooke walked behind Jamie squeezing his shoulders lightly "I will get her back, I promise" she said wrapping her arms around him as she rested her chin on his head. "I'll get our girl back".

Jamie sniffled as he bit down on his bottom lip, in an attempt to keep from crying—again. "Please," he said, his voice breaking. "If you see her can you have her call me—I have her phone. I just—I need to hear her voice".

"I'll do more than that".

"Brooke Davis is not to be reckoned with," Peyton told him. "If anyone can do it—she is your girl".

"I hope you're right".

"What do you mean hope"? Brooke asked sitting in the seat next to him. "Have you met me"? She asked before turning to Haley and Peyton. "Has he met me"?

"Apparently not," Haley said, smiling lightly at her son.

"If they don't give us Madison back I will personally deliver them all to hell in a nicely wrapped handbasket," Brooke told Jamie taking his face in her small hand. "Do you hear me"?

Jamie nodded, slowly. Even though he smiled, it didn't look as it had lifted his spirits.

"Do you want me to cook you something to eat"? Haley asked walking to the counter looking down at Jamie. "I could whip something up really quick".

"No," he told her shaking his head. "I think I am just going to shower".

"Jamie—you have to eat".

"I'll order a pizza after while or something," he said shrugging. "I promise".

Before his mom could say anymore Jamie stood up and walked out of the kitchen, his head dropped and his body moving slow.

"We have to fix this" Haley told them.

"We will" Brooke promised her. "Not just for Jamie, but Madison. I don't even know if she knows the full extent of what happened, I was just starting to explain it to her when they showed up. She has spent years saving up just to go visit her parents—she probably feels lost and confused and betrayed, I can't even imagine what she must be feeling".

* * *

"Andre"?

Lily looked up to see her friend awkwardly standing in the doorway to her father's room. Despite the circumstances, she smiled as she walked over to him and the two stepped out of the room, leaving Deb alone with Keith.

"What are you doing here"? She asked him, still smiling.

"I just wanted to bring you this" Andre said, handing her a large bouquet of flowers. "It's from the basketball team—girls and boys. We all chipped in, it was Maddie's idea—actually".

"Has anyone heard anything on her"? Lily asked as they walked down the hall together.

"No," Andre said. "Chuck and I both texted Jamie this morning but no reply's".

"I hope this doesn't sound selfish—but why didn't Chuck bring these to me"?

"Erm—Chuck doesn't do hospitals or parents or—Chuck is a difficult individual but he does care about you," Andre told her.

"Just not enough to stop by before my previously dead father has a life or death surgery," Lily said looking down at the flowers.

"Oh, it's not like that".

"It is Andre," Lily told him. "I like Chuck—a lot. But, I really wanted him to be here, I even asked him and instead he sent you. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but he is my boyfriend. He should want to be here with me when I asked him he said he didn't want to miss school. He sleeps in every class, he does just enough homework to keep him from failing so he can stay on the basketball team and that's it. I'm having a hard day—and I have no one to sit with. Maddie is gone, Jamie is ten feet deep down the rabbit hole, my boyfriend won't come within fifty feet of the hospital—".

"I'll sit with you," Andre told her. "I can afford to miss a day of school, I brought your homework anyways. We can do that while your dad is in surgery".

"You have an odd way of cheering someone up," Lily told him smiling. "But, thank you. I appreciate it, truly—I'm dreading this".

"It's a big surgery".

"Well, there is that and my brother is going to be here," Lily told him. "I am so, furious at him. I'm not ready to talk to him, I don't know if I will ever be. He lied to me".

"But, he was trying to protect you".

"I know," Lily said. "But, I just keep thinking—this doesn't happen to most people. When someone dies, they die for good I was granted a second chance with my dad. A chance I never thought I could have, even if it's a small one. I have spent every day sitting by him, studying his face—what if he doesn't make it out of surgery? Lucas risked depriving me of the few moments I was granted with him. Honestly, how would you feel if Skills found out your brother was alive but didn't tell you to know that he might actually die in a short time"?

Andre paused.

But, he didn't want to. He looked up to Lucas, he knew how bad he was suffering, and most of all he knew that he was just looking out for his little sister. But, when he looked at it from her point view he understood why she was so angry.

It's not every day that you get a chance with someone you love and lost like she was.

"I'd be pissed," Andre told her honestly. "I get it, I do. However—just think about forgiving him. Okay? My brother was just a little older than us when he died, so I try not to spend to much time being angry at someone. You don't know how much time you have left with them".

* * *

"Luke" Nathan called as he attempted to catch up with his brother as he walked towards the hospital. "Wait up".

Lucas, who had been unaware that his brother parked only moments after him, came to a halt as he waited for his younger brother to reach him.

Which didn't take as long as it felt.

When Nathan reaches Lucas he laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze "Are you ready for this"? He asked.

"If I say no does it matter"? Lucas asked. "They are about to start prepping him rather I'm ready or not, Nate".

"I know, but it's going to be okay".

"Everyone keeps saying that," Lucas said, as he sat down on the bench. "I want to believe that, I really do. But, I looked up the surgery last night and—".

"Oh, dude" Nathan said shaking his head as he sat next to his brother. "First of all, you know to stay off of google before you come to the hospital for anything. Haley once thought she was having an aneurysm because of the damn internet".

"What ended up being wrong with her"?

"Wine hangover," Nathan said, chuckling. "But, I love my little hypochondriac".

"I'm going to be nauseous".

Nathan lightly laughed, but then looked at Lucas who he saw biting on the nail to his thumb, nervously. Chewing was more like it.

"I just kept thinking if he can just make it through the surgery," Lucas told him "then the rest should be easy, right? Wrong. He is going to wake up with a sixteen-year-old daughter, mom is dead, Dan is dead—who killed him—and his parents are here".

"What"? Nathan asked, confused by the last part of his brother's statement.

Nathan looked up to see his grandparents, their grandparents, walking towards the hospital.

"Mom told me they were in town," Nathan said, his voice low enough only Lucas could hear. "They weren't here when Jamie or Lydia was born when I was kidnapped—or even when Dan died, but this they come to".

"Nathan" May said, smiling.

"Grandma," Nathan said as he and Lucas stood, leaning over hugging her lightly.

"How's the ole' back"? Royal asked, pointing his walking cane towards his grandson.

"Fine".

"You must be Lucas," May said, smiling.

"I must be," he told her, nodding his head.

"Daddy"!

They all turned at Sawyer came running with Mia closely in tow.

"Hey, baby," Lucas said, lifting his daughter up.

"Peyton asked me to drop her off at school but she wanted to stop and see you first," Mia told Lucas as they walked over.

"Who are you"? Sawyer asked the elderly couple turning to face them after Lucas planted his daughter on her feet.

"Just some acquaintances of uncle Nathan's," her uncle told her, which Lucas was ever grateful for without having to improvise.

"Oh," she said. "I'm Sawyer Brooke Scott—my grandma Karen had to use a walking stick before she died. Are you dying"?

"Karen—" Royal said looking up, confused. "She passed"?

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, been almost a of couple years now," he told him.

"Sawyer, you're going to be late for school," Mia told her.

"Okay," Sawyer said before turning to her dad as she took the necklace she had around her neck on. "This is for you and Auntie Lily, grandma Karen gave it to me. Great-uncle Keith gave it to her, I believe grandma Karen's exact words were bow chicka bow wowed, he gave it to her after they did whatever that was for the first time".

Lucas couldn't help but laugh.

"Grandma said she wore it because it helped her stay strong without him for Lily, so now he needs it—to stay strong without her for Lily," Sawyer said as she placed the necklace in her father's open palm. "I love you, daddy".

"I love you, baby," Lucas said, running his fingers through her blonde curly hair.

"Don't worry so much—you'll get wrinkles" Sawyer told him. "Uncle Keith will be fine".

"What makes you so sure"?

"Because he is a Scott" Sawyer told him. "And he made it this far, didn't he"?

"Where did you get to be so smart"? Nathan asked leaning down looking at his niece.

"Grandma Karen," she said smiling. "She homeschooled me, and she was the best teacher".

Sawyer wrapped one of her small arms around her uncle and another around her father—squeezing them tightly.

"I love you both," she said smiling.

Mia took Sawyer by the hand and they walked away.

"Are you sure she is your kid"? Nathan asked Lucas as they stood up.

"I have no idea—Peyton has always been a little extra dark and I have Dan's heart—I don't know where the hell she got to be so cheery," Lucas said placing his hands on his hips.

"We are sorry to hear about Karen" May intruded, sincerely. "Truly".

"Thank you".

"What—if you don't mind me asking what happened to her"? Royal asked, looking down.

"She was sick," Lucas told them. "For a while, and then one day she wasn't," he said. And that's all he would ever tell them. "Let's go, they will be to take him up to prep soon".

* * *

"This place is so depressing," Brooke said as she sat between Peyton and Haley. "And the lighting is horrible, I bet even filters wouldn't help if I took a selfie right now. They really should consider redecorating".

Peyton was certain if her eyes rolled any further to the back of her head, they would be stuck like that. Or it was simply an old wives tale that her mother used to tell her when she was a child.

"Brooke, it's the foster care system," Haley said, shaking her head. "I don't think really care if they have some bad lighting".

"Mediocre fluorescent lighting—at best," Brooke said. "And that is the same picture they had hanging on the wall when Sam and I had to come to do our check-ins".

"Brooke, that's a poster for a helpline," Peyton told her.

"Oh," she said looking at it once more. "They don't at least update those things? Don't even get me started on these chairs".

"Okay" Haley interrupted her before she could carry on.

"Brooke Davis".

The three looked up to see a woman standing in the doorway with a small clipboard in her hand. Haley, Brooke, and Peyton each stood up and proceeded to follow her.

They walked from one long horribly lit hallway to another, Brooke wasn't sure how long they would walk and didn't know if it would ever end—until she saw Madison who sat in a chair outside of an office awkwardly swinging her legs as she waited.

"Oh, my god—Maddie," Brooke said, pushing past the woman in front of her.

"Brooke," Madison said, jumping up with small tears in her eyes at the sight of the three women in front of her.

Brooke tightly wrapped her arms around the teenager.

"Miss, we have to ask that you not touch the child" the woman that had led them said as she walked behind the two that were still embraced.

"Oh, bite me, Jennifer," Brooke said, rolling her eyes.

"I didn't even introduce myself," Jennifer said, but mostly to herself. "How did you know my name"?

Madison couldn't help but chuckle.

"You just look like a Jennifer that's all," Brooke told her smiling as she leaned away from Madison but still held her hand tightly. "Is this your office"?

"Yes, but I'm afraid there isn't enough room for all of us—and this is a closed-door meeting".

"We will make due".

Brooke walked in with Madison followed by Peyton and Haley, lastly Jennifer. She shut the door and squeezed by each one of the girls as she made the way to her office before tripping and falling, but landed perfectly in her seat.

"Very well," Karen said. "Okay, let's begin we—".

"These are my files from when I had a foster daughter back years ago and from when I had momentary custody of Angie," Brooke said laying the files in front of Karen, ultimately and purposefully cutting her off. "I have good recommendations, I have a house—she would have her very own room, and she could continue living where she has her entire life and finish school where she has always attended".

"I didn't know you had ever fostered children before," Jennifer said, looking at Brooke. "Either way if you're wanting to be a foster mother once again, I'm afraid you don't just get to come in and pick the child you want. She was kidnapped—we have to have her removed from the state for her own protection".

"Who? Lauren"? Peyton asked. "My daughter's hamster is more threatening".

"You're calling it a kidnapping and we have lawyers on that right now," Haley told Jennifer. "She was left, Lauren did what she thought was best to protect her. She is in no danger here".

"So, you say".

"So, I say," Madison said. "I wasn't kidnapped. I lived with Lauren, I went to school—she raised me. If I had been in danger don't you think I would have told someone, a teacher—like to help me? No! She would never hurt me".

Jennifer slowly opened the files that Brooke had handed her and glanced through a few papers before turning to her computer, and typing. The room stayed quiet—for some time.

"I'm prepared to offer the foster care system, the state—whoever it is, a nice profit if you can assure that this girl will be put into my care," Brooke told Jennifer.

The four girls that were squished on the opposite side of the room watched Jennifer, it was clear she knew who Brooke was—her comment about being unaware that she ever had foster children gave that away. So, she knew that they wouldn't simply offer her a couple of hundred dollars, it would be something extravagant.

Which she was sure her bosses would be grateful for, she might even get a bigger office. Or they could fire her for accepting the money.

"Are you aware that your licenses to be a foster parent has expired"? Jennifer asked Brooke. "You would need to renew that—".

"Done," Brooke said.

"The most I can guarantee you right now is that she can stay with you until it's time to move her to—".

"That's not good enough for me," Brooke said leaning forward resting her arms on the desk, looking Jennifer directly in the eyes. "This is how much I'm willing to donate, today—in cash".

Brooke wrote a number down on a post-it and handed it to the woman—whose mouth undeniably dropped.

"I'll have to go get my superior".

* * *

Lucas stepped out into the waiting room and he looked around, he saw his brother who was picking at a string on his jeans. Across the room he saw his sister, Lily, sitting between Andre and Deb, and then Keith's parents were in the corner by themselves. The waiting room was full but he was sure there would be more by the end of the afternoon.

"They just—they just took him back" Lucas announced, his voice low but just high enough for everyone to hear him.

Nathan watched as his brother walked over and sat next to him.

No one spoke. It was quite—for seventy-three minutes, everyone was silent. There were occasional glances and awkward stares, but for the most part, no one spoke.

"So—erm," Royal said, not really known for being an awkward man, but found this particular conversation difficult to start. "Lily," he said, as May squeezed his hand. "Do you know what you want to do when you graduate"?

It was clear that his wife was the one who was curious, by the way, she looked over at Keith's daughter.

"Not yet," Lily told them. "I have spent my whole life traveling, so I want to stay in one place. I'd like to own my business like both my parents, be my own boss—just don't know what that is yet".

"You'll figure it out".

Jamie stepped around the corner carrying a drink carrier, filled with to-go cups.

"Easy for you to say," Lily told Jamie. "You have known what you have wanted to do since you were in the womb".

Jamie gave her a half-smile.

"I didn't know you were coming," Nathan told his son.

"I'm not staying—just brought this for you all".

Nathan wouldn't say it out loud, at least not here, but he admired his son for that. He looked as though he might crumble at any minute, but he cared enough to get out of bed for his family.

"Jamie this is Royal and May," Nathan said nodding to the older couple in the corner. "They are your great-grandparents".

"This is—this is little Jamie"? May asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah," Nathan told them nodding. "You miss a lot when you don't call or write or anything, turned sixteen at the beginning of the summer," he told her bitterly.

"Don't talk to her that way" Royal demanded. "You always were such a disrespectful little prick seems like things haven't changed".

"Go to hell, grandpa".

"You—" Jamie said before the argument could escalate. "You're grandpa Dan's parents"?

The room went quiet, maybe it was the wrong thing to say, but Jamie didn't seem to care.

"Yes" May said, nodding, slowly—unsure why she answered in the first place. It was painfully obvious that he was her son, no matter how badly her husband tried to deny it.

"Grandpa was amazing," he told them. "I mean obviously he had his faults but he saved my life, more than once. My next tattoo is going to be for him I—".

"You're not getting another tattoo"! Nathan interjected.

"No, you said not to go behind your back and get one you never said I couldn't get one" Jamie told his father.

"Okay, allow me to refresh—no more tattoos, period until you're eighteen. Does that clear things up"? Nathan asked folding his arms.

"Not even one for grandpa"?

"Nope".

"But, it's my body and it's my hard-earned money".

Nathan froze before he said, "Luke—fire him".

Lucas, however, had turned away from Nathan and was looking down at the seat next to him. "Don't drag me into this".

"Seriously"? Nathan asked. "My son is one tattoo away from looking like that rapper that doesn't wash his hair and you won't fire him"?

"I'm nowhere close to that many tattoos," Jamie said. "You're being dramatic".

"And I can't fire him," Lucas said. "He is only sixteen and the best damn mechanic at Keith's auto shop, I couldn't afford to lose him. Everyone that brings their car in brings it to him when he graduates and goes to Duke I'm screwed".

Lucas dreaded looked over at his brother who was, undoubted, staring a hole through him.

"I'm sorry" Lucas mouthed. "It'd be like you asking me to kick him off the team".

"You play basketball"? Royal asked.

"And here we go," Deb said folding her arms and felt her head hit the back of the wall that her chair was pushed up against.

"She is right," May told her husband. "Can we not discuss sports right now"?

"I'm just trying to get to know my grandchildren".

"I seem to recall you only asking Lily one question" May snapped. "And our son is in surgery! Do we really need to talk about basketball, right now"?

"Keith is going to be in surgery for hours, it's just harmless chit chat, May"!

"Nothing is ever harmless with you".

Royal looked up to find Jamie passing out the to-go cups he had bought.

"I didn't know you were here," Jamie told them. "I would have got you something, too".

"Thank you," May said. "We are fine".

"Right," Royal said ignoring his wife. "How is your game"?

"Does this have liquor in it"? Deb whispered to her grandson as she pointed at her drink.

Jamie shook his head but smiled lightly.

"I hope you're not taking Speed as your dad did," Royal said.

Jamie snapped his head up and looked over at his dad as he sat next to Deb, sure there was a mistake in the man's words.

"You took speed"? Jamie asked looking at Nathan.

The teenager's father closed his eyes tightly pinching the bridge of his nose, Jamie couldn't tell if it was out of embarrassment or aggravation, it could have been both if he was being honest.

"Can we not go down this road right now"? Deb asked though it felt more like a threat.

"Before you ask him again here," Nathan said. "He doesn't take Speed, he beat mine and Dan's highest scores in his freshman year, and he averages about twenty-seven points per game which is pretty damn impressive considering the season hasn't started—that was last year when he was a freshman and only allowed to play not even half of the game. He wasn't even in the starting lineup".

"He will be this year, though," Lucas said. "I'm not going to make the same mistake his coach last year did," he said, teasing his brother.

"You're the coach"? Royal asked, alarmingly shocked by the news.

"Yeah," Lucas said, nodding.

"He coaches the boy's team and I coach the girls," Nathan told him. "Lily is on the team—she is pretty damn good, too".

"You play basketball"? Royal asked, looking at Lily who nodded in response. "Humph. I would have assumed you were a cheerleader".

The room went quiet at his response.

Briefly.

"You're a dick," Lily said, to which her brother smiled.

"Excuse me"?

"I'm sorry" Lily said laying her hand across her chest. "I forgot that when you fart dust comes out, you're a dick. A inconsiderate, arrogant, uncaring, selfish, bastard—in case you needed help understanding the term seeing as you look as though you have lived under a rock for several centuries. My father—mine! He is in surgery and you want to sit here and grill everyone about basketball, a damn sport. A week ago you didn't know your son was alive now you want to sit there and talk about basketball, which is fine, I get that. It's an awkward situation so we all make dreadful small talk to try and help pass the hours while they have my father's skull cracked open and are cutting and probing into his brain—an organ he does need to live, but you sit there and claim you want to get to know your grandchildren but the first ounce of information about me and you become this sexist pig. Just because I have breasts and a vagina doesn't mean I am going to throw Pom poms in the air—Jamie's girlfriend plays basketball and she could play circles around half of the guy's team! If you are going to sit here why don't you shut the hole in your face and if you can't then leave, and if you don't I'm his daughter and I can request for the hospital to forcibly remove you from the premises".

The waiting room went quite, the nurses and staff behind the counter included. Lily sat back, her face red and throat scratchy from the amount of use her voice just endured.

"Excuse me" Lily said before standing to her feet, and storming away with Andre in tow.

Royal, speechless, looked at Nathan and Lucas—who were both smiling though they each were trying not to. Unsuccessfully.

Lucas shrugged "Damn teenagers".

* * *

_If you knew how lonely my life has been  
And how long I've been so alone  
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along  
And change my life the way you've done_

* * *

Lily pushed through the front doors of the hospital and stormed out, taking in all the fresh air she could get. She thought she was alone, as she stood outside of the hospital standing with her hands on her hips as she looked out into the parking lot—in an attempt to compose herself.

But, she wasn't.

"Are you okay"? Andre asked as he slowly walked up behind her.

Lily quickly wiped the tears off of her face, unaware that he had already seen them—that he had been behind her the entire time.

"Yeah" she lied. "I just need a minute".

"I'll step back inside, I'm so sorry—".

Lily grabbed his arm and shook her head "I need a minute before I go back in there" she said looking up at him. "I felt like I was going to lose it".

"Don't take this the wrong way—you kind of did?" Andre told her.

Lily rested her forehead against his chest and chuckled lightly before standing back up straight. "I did, didn't I"? She asked though she didn't need to, she was there. She remembered. "It's just—that man, that horrible, horrible man. I don't understand how he can compartmentalize like that. He thought his son was dead, and a few days later he is sitting in the waiting room while his son—my father, is in surgery! Surgery! He could die, and I mean he probably already done his mourning but no one else gets an opportunity like this. His child was basically brought back from the dead, except that he didn't die, but we have been given a chance at a second chance with my dad and he is in there talking about damn basketball! Now, I know where Dan got it from—and Jamie, in there talking about Dan"!

"You need to breathe".

"I know that is his grandfather and he looked up to him, but either way if he killed my dad or not he still robbed me of sixteen years I could have been spending with him"! Lily nearly screamed.

"I'm sure Jamie meant nothing by it," Andre told her. "He would never intentionally try to hurt you".

"I know," Lily said as her head fell into the palms of her hands. "I just—I don't know what's wrong with me".

"What's wrong with you is your dad, who you thought was dead, isn't dead but he could still die," Andre told her. "I don't personally know anyone who can relate to what you're going through. You have every right to be pissed, and angry—at everyone. Especially Keith's old fart of a dad".

For the first time Lily looked up at him, and she felt a small tear fall down her cheek.

"I just want to meet him," Lily told Andre. "I have wished for this my entire life, and now—I just want him to be okay".

Andre wrapped his arms around Lily and held her tightly.

The two stood there like that for a few minutes, though it could have been mistaken for hours before they heard the hospital door open and turned to see Jamie step out.

"Hey," Lily said leaning out of Andre's embrace.

"Hey," Jamie said, his voice still low. "I'm going to head back to the house. I hope your dad is okay".

"Thanks for coming," Lily told him, swallowing her anger with him—knowing good and well she didn't have any reason in the world to be angry with him. "It means a lot—especially knowing you probably didn't want to leave the house today".

"You're right," Jamie said. "I didn't, but you're my best friend and if it was my dad you would be there for me".

"Thank you".

Jamie leaned over and hugged Lily, it was meant to be a soft hug of comfort that she could have used but instead, the two stood still for a minute. It instead became a hug of comfort for him, as he felt her squeeze him tightly.

"She is going to come back" Lily whispered in his ear. "Your love story isn't supposed to end like this".

Lily felt a small drop of water hit her bare shoulder and knew it was a tear that had fallen from his eye.

Jamie leaned away, brushing his forearm across his face to efficiently dry his eyes.

"Go home and get some rest," Andre said clapping his long-time best friend on the back. "We will text you when we hear something and if you hear something on Madison, you text us".

"I will" Jamie promised, but looked at Lily who had been freight over her best friend. "I promise," he told Lily holding her hand against his chest.

Jamie slowly walked away towards his vehicle and the two watched as he jumped in and drove away.

"I used to imagine what it would be like to have a friend," Lily told Andre as she walked over and sat down on the bench. "Then I moved here, for the first time in my life I had a friend. Growing up I was surrounded by people—my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law, but then I got to meet Madison. She would have been here with me. She would have skipped school and sat next to me, she was my first real friend".

"Is" Andre corrected Lily as he sat next to her. "She isn't dead, she is your friend. I have known Madison since grade school and you're right, she would have been here with you—".

"And she will be," Brooke Davis said as she approached the two with Haley and Peyton standing behind her. "She is at my house right now, showering but she will be here later".

"Does that mean you got custody of her"? Lily asked jumping to her feet.

"Sort of," Peyton said. "At least for a week or two, given the extreme circumstances they will have to appeal to a court".

"But, I'm going to testify as to her school teacher and employer," Haley told them. "I'm sure Nathan will, too since he is her basketball coach. I have talked to the principal, who of course is going to testify for Maddie".

"And Brooke," Peyton said. "I'm going in for Brooke, I'm sure Lucas will as well. I talked to Jake and he said he would of course".

"Is Jake the new boyfriend"? Lily asked, smiling.

"He is not my boyfriend," Peyton said, running her fingers through her hair but couldn't stop smiling.

"How is your dad"? Haley asked walking up placing a hand on each side of Lily's arms. "Any word"?

"Not yet," Lily said, her head dropping. "Although, his parents—his dad, in particular, is a real treat. Who invited him here"?

"Wait—Royal is here"? Peyton asked, arching an eyebrow. "Why"?

"That's a good question," Deb said as she walked out in a huff, her arms crossed over her body. "Someone tell me that Dan got his heart from that man because I think I can induce a heart attack".

"It is genetic," Haley said shrugging.

"Has he ever let up"? Lily asked.

"After proceeding to call you an ungrateful Brat, no" Deb answered. "Now, he and Lucas shared words, then he and Nathan shared words, then he and May argued, and then me and May argued, and then Nathan—" Deb paused. She ran palms down her face as if she could release the stress and tension that way. "It's a typical Scott family reunion," she told them.

"This is typical"? Lily asked.

"Yes," Deb, Haley, and Peyton all said in unison.

"Do they have to be here"? Lily asked, yet another question.

"Well, Keith is their son—it's not like we can just kick them out," Haley told Lily.

"But, hypothetically let's say we could—how would we go about doing that"? Lily asked looking at Haley.

"Has there been any news on Keith"? Brooke asked, interrupting, knowing that this could go on forever if no one did.

"A nurse walked out as I left," Deb said. "If he was out of surgery it would have been the doctor, it's probably just an update but let's go".

* * *

Jamie slowly drove through Tree Hill, he felt the cool breeze upon his face through his open window. It was the most oxygen he had felt in days.

He felt lost. He knew where he was, and he knew how to get home but he felt lost. It was his soul that was lost. Jamie felt like a drifter, without her, without his girl. Without Maddie.

He did what everyone said, he tried to focus on the positive. She was in North Carolina, somewhere. She was safe, but she wasn't there. She wasn't with him.

Jamie caught a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror, and he almost didn't recognize himself, if it wasn't for the blonde hair and blue eyes he wouldn't have. Jamie's complexion was drained, his eyes were swollen, and it wasn't until today that he realized that he could grow a beard—the scruff around his face was a large indication of how he had forgotten to take care of himself.

The teen slowly merged his car into his parent's driveway but slammed hard on the brakes at the sight of his girlfriend's car that sat across the road.

Jamie jumped out of his car, unsure if he parked it or even shut the Engine off. But, he didn't care. Not in the least. He ran towards Brooke's new house and burst through the door, he ran up the stairs and searched from one room to another.

After searching the house high to low, he stepped out of the house feeling hopeless. He came to the conclusion that perhaps Brooke brought the car there for safekeeping, maybe she didn't want to risk it getting stolen or vandalized sitting in front of the café where it had been for days.

But, that moment quickly vanished when he looked up.

There she was, across the street walking from his parent's house—as though she had done the same thing he had.

Jamie rushed to her and she rushed to him, each meeting in the middle of the road. He didn't hesitate before pulling her into him and pressing his lips firmly against hers.

Madison smiled as her boyfriend pressed his forehead against hers.

"Hi," she said, softly.

"Hi".

"How are you"?

"Better now" he told her. "And you"?

"Better now".

* * *

"Any news"? Peyton asked as the group stepped into the waiting room.

Lucas jumped at the sound of his soon to be ex-wife's voice and jumped even higher at the sight of Brooke.

"Yeah," Nathan said, coming to terms with the fact if they waited on Lucas to answer they would be waiting for a while. "He is doing good, so far. He started to hemorrhage early on, but they said they were able to maintain it but other than that there isn't really any news. They came out to let us know that they got the bleeding under control".

Haley walked over, sat next to her husband and took his hand in hers.

"He is going to be okay," Haley said, closing her eyes. "I know it".

Nathan smiled at his wife and brought her hand up to his lips—kissing it softly.

"Well, since we have a psychic among us, where were you when my son was laying in a hospital for seventeen years"? Royal said, looking over at Haley, as he balanced both hands on his cane.

The room, now filled with more people than it was earlier, fell quiet once again. Haley looked over at Royal, or glared would have been more like it, she and Nathan both were ready to give him a piece of their mind. Everyone was. Brooke included, and she had never met the man—but Lily beat them all to punch.

"Where were you when one of your boys picked a gun up and shot it at the other"? Lily snapped at the man she apparently was related to. "Did you even come to the funeral, or did you grieve from afar? I mean, seriously, which is it? I mean someone had to raise Dan to be such a monster—".

"Now, wait just a minute young lady," Royal said as he stood up balancing himself upon his cane.

"I suggest you tread very lightly Royal," Deb said, stepping forward near the man, in front of Lily.

"Or what? You'll set me on fire—stand by watching me have a heart attack and then sleep with my brother"?

Deb chewed on the corner of her mouth as the room fell silent, and she felt every eye on her.

"First of all—I didn't know that you knew about that, but thank you for informing those who didn't," Deb said sarcastically, as she saw Haley with her mouth hanging wide open—vaguely reminding her of the intervention she once had. "Secondly I slept with Keith and then Dan had his heart attack, not the other way around".

"I don't believe that matters," Nathan said, his face scrunched up in disgust.

"But, lastly my past affairs have nothing to do with this" Deb told Royal, or yelled. "This girl is sixteen, she thought she was an orphan. She has asked you to either leave or shut up, no one else in this entire damn room matters but her! No one. As long as I'm living, you will not speak to her this way and you will not disrespect her".

"Funny" Royal said, lowering his eyes at Deb. "I don't recall you being such a good mother to Nathan".

"Now, wait just a minute Grandpa" Nathan began.

"No," Deb said, cutting him off. "He is right, I was a horrible mother when you were growing up," she told her son. "I admit that, but do any of you honestly think I would have been such a bad mom if he had a vagina instead"?

Lucas looked over at his brother, with both eyebrows arched. Nathan rolled his eyes and pushed his brothers face in the opposite direction with a "shut up" remark before Lucas could make some witty comment.

"If Nathan had been a girl and hadn't had basketball forced down his throat from the time he could walk do you really think things would have been so bad"? Deb snapped. "He hadn't even started crawling when you and Dan mapped his entire future out! No one gave him a choice on what he wanted to do, from the very start it was what you two wanted him to do. He never had the chance to decide if he wanted to play another sport. If he had been a girl and came home in a cheerleading outfit every day there would have been no pressure".

"Stop picturing it" Nathan whispered to his wife, who was fighting a smile—and loosing.

"I think I still have my cheerleading uniform from high school".

Haley didn't see Lucas but she heard him snort on the other side of Nathan. "Not happening".

"He couldn't get it up over one ass cheek," Lucas said as he leaned over Nathan to see Haley.

"As I recall Nathan loves basketball," Royal told Deb. "He did make it to the NBA and his son seems to have the very same affliction. The apple doesn't fall from the tree".

"My apple did," Deb said. "The minute Dan went to prison everything changed, Nathan played basketball out of the love for the game. He quit playing to be better than Dan or to impress him, Nathan doesn't bully Jamie into being faster and better—why do you think he chose to coach the girl's team? So, that he can distance himself and let his son stand on his own two feet. I am proud of the man my son turned out to be—and it's not because me or Dan, it's because of that girl sitting next to him that he married all those years ago. At the end of the day basketball, it's just a game. Nathan learned that the hard way—he chose to walk away from basketball for his family. If it meant he got to run around the back yard with his kids just a few extra steps, he is a better man than you will ever be and twice the father you could ever dream of being".

Deb has enough of the old man when she still wore the ring Dan gave her, but now it was different. She stepped in front of Royal so that the two were face to face.

"All this started with you," Deb told Royal. "You pushed and pushed Dan until there was nothing left to push. He pushed my son until he almost broke him—he drove me to the brink of insanity where there was nothing but drugs to save me, he shot his brother, and he was a bully to my son" Deb paused running her fingers through her hair. "I think it's time you leave Royal," Deb told him firmly. "Now".

"I—".

"Royal" May said standing behind her husband. "I believe she is right, let's go".

Royal hesitated but looked around to find that he was many outnumbered by those that didn't want him to be there.

"Will you call us—me, if you hear anything"? May asked Deb who nodded. "Thank you".

The two left, slowly.

"Oh, my god" Lily said smiling as she walked to the blonde. "Deb is a badass".

Lily wrapped her arms around Deb and received a hug back.

"Seriously, where did you learn to be so—bad assey—is that a word"? Lily asked combining two words into one.

"I was married to a conniving narcissist," Deb said squinting one eye shut at the memories.

"Mom," Nathan said, looking up at the woman that birthed him over thirty years ago. "Thank you".

Deb smiled at him. "You're welcome".

* * *

_It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong_

* * *

Madison felt Jamie slam her against his bedroom door— effectively shutting it, as they were still unable to tear their lips from one another. In any other instance, she was sure it would have hurt, but she couldn't seem to feel anything but the heat radiating through her hands that she had placed on the back of Jamie's head, running her fingers through his hair.

Madison moaned lightly in protest when Jamie broke away from their kiss, but felt another moan escape from her lips when he started kissing and sucking down the column of her neck. He gently bent down, scooping his girlfriend up, as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist—as he continued to kiss further down her neck.

Jamie stopped kissing down her neck, as he slowly sat his girlfriend back down on her feet—but kept his body pressed to hers as he still had her pinned to the door.

"Are—are you still sure"? Jamie asked, looking down at Madison as he rested his hand a couple of inches below her waist. "I want you to be sure," he said, his voice shaky.

Madison smiled as she leaned up on to her tiptoes "I am sure" she told him placing a hand on each side of his neck. "No matter what happens, I want you to always be my first".

Jamie didn't have time to respond or even fully comprehend her words before she pulled him back down and kissed him. He couldn't if he wanted to, all he could think about was her.

Jamie reached down and tugged Madison's shirt up over her head and tossed it, not in any general direction just off. Away. Gone.

It all began to happen so fast, Madison wasn't sure when they discarded all of their clothes, or when they made it to his bed, or whose idea it was to crawl under the covers but they had. All she knew was it was perfect—he was perfect. Everything was perfect.

Jamie ran his hands up Madison's arms and interlaced his fingers in hers above her head as he continued to kiss on her and take in every piece of her beauty. He remembered his fears, his anxieties about this—this very act that the two were engaged in.

At first Jamie told himself if he could just be intimate with her for five minutes, then he ten minutes, and then fifteen—seventeen minutes and twenty seven seconds later, Jamie—covered in sweat and unable to fully breathe, and quite proud of himself though he wouldn't admit that in this precise moment, rolled off of Madison and lay next to her.

Neither spoke, as they both attempted to stabilize their breathing.

"Wow".

"Wow".

* * *

Nathan turned the corner to find his brother filling his small coffee cup with the dreadful black liquid the hospital supplied. Lucas looked up at Nathan silently offering him a cup, which he accepted though after the first drink he wasn't sure why.

"How much longer do you think it will be"? Lucas asked Nathan as the two made their way over to one of the round tables inside the cafeteria.

"They are working on the inside of Keith's brain, Luke. I say the longer it takes to hear something the better" Nathan told his brother. "No news is good news".

"You really have to stop watching Dr. Phil so much," Lucas told his brother. "I have seen your DVR, dude. I know Haley isn't recording that".

"I wonder if we wrote him a letter about our life if we could get on an episode".

Lucas rolled his eyes. "That's just what we need, to publicize our life more so than it already is," he said.

"This coming from the man who wrote a book about said life".

"Hey, boys," Brooke said, smiling as she passed them.

Lucas immediately froze as he watched Brooke pour three cups of coffee before swiftly leaving the cafeteria.

"You're worse than my teenager" Nathan commented. "Do you realize that you didn't breathe the entire time she was in here? You're a mess—is it over her or is it over Keith"?

"Does it make me pathetic if I say a little bit both"?

"No," Nathan told him. "It makes you pathetic when you awkwardly stare at her like a lost puppy dog begging for food—FYI Brooke Davis, is not scraps. She is a five-star restaurant".

"What am I going to do, Nate"?

"Well, the way I see it you have two options," Nathan told him. "You could go and tell her or you could try and date and see if you can't shake this feeling".

"You don't think I am still in love with her"?

"I never said that. But, you're marriage was going through a rough patch, you both wanted out you might have channeled your feelings on to Brooke—it might be nothing. Or it might be everything".

"Seriously, no more Dr. Phil".

"Either way—just in case you go on a date or end up at Brooke's here".

Nathan pulled his wallet out and flipped it open, before pulling a collection of condoms out.

"Here is three—just in case," Nathan said ripping apart half and handing them to Lucas.

"I am going to regret asking you this, but exactly how many condoms do you have in your wallet"? He asked as he saw Nathan stuff the remaining bunch back inside.

"Enough" Nathan told him. "I had an awkward run-in with Jamie one night and ever since I make sure I have some on me at all times. I put new ones in there every couple of days—I just put these in here this morning so there is quite a bit more than there normally is".

"This would have been okay back in high school," Lucas said as he looked at the condoms in his hand "but now it's just pathetic".

"Much like your life"?

Good point.

Lucas stuffed the condoms in his wallet, with no intent on using them but he wasn't going to have an argument about condoms with his brother in the hospital cafeteria. On any good day, let alone today.

* * *

_A window breaks, down a long, dark street _

_And a siren wails in the night  
But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me  
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light_

* * *

Peyton looked up to see Jake walking down the hallway, he wasn't exactly smiling but he sure did look happy to see her. She quickly excused herself from the group of her girls she had been sitting with before rushing down the hall—out of everyone's sight.

"I thought I might find you here," Jake told her as she met up with him by the vending machine. "I wanted to check and see how things were going".

"And you couldn't text"? Peyton teased him smiling. "Or call"?

"Okay, Fine—I wanted to see you. Is that so bad"? Jake told her, grinning. "I feel like it's bad, at least right now".

"It's not bad," Peyton told him. "If it is then I'm just as bad" she admitted to him. "Part of me didn't want to come, I thought because of Lucas maybe I shouldn't—".

"But, Haley told you how stupid that was and you came" Jake guessed, correctly.

"It is Sawyer's great uncle after all, and I know things didn't work out with Luke but—".

"He has been a part of your life for over half of your life," Jake told her. "It's good that you're here".

"You should have got here sooner, you missed the drama".

Jake smiled. "The Scotts and drama? No way, how shocking" he said. "How would you like to tell me about it—say over dinner, this weekend"?

"Well, I'll have to check my calendar—but I'm sure I could schedule you in—or," Peyton said interlacing their fingers. "You could come over tonight".

"Come over"?

"Yeah, Sawyer wanted to stay with Luke so I will have the place to myself," Peyton said. "I could cook—".

"You could cook"?

"Fine I can order take out and we could catch up," she told him. "If you wanted to".

"Don't you live with Brooke"?

"I did," Peyton said, nodding. "But, she got her own place".

"Isn't your place her place"?

"Yes, but she gave it to me," Peyton told him. "Okay, so her husband—you never met him, Julian he died in their house. When we all first got back we stayed with Nathan and Haley, but when her house was ready to be moved back into she couldn't move in. Not physically or anything, more like psychologically—but we all couldn't keep staying with Nathan and Haley, there was eleven of us living there—their house is big but not that big. No one ever had any privacy. So, we moved into her old house—the house she bought when she first moved back to Tree Hill after she lived in New York. Julian lived there, too—but there wasn't this horrible memory of him lingering around. It was more of a temporary house though until she found another one. Well, she found another one but was waiting on the deal to go through, it finally did after some bribery—she wanted to escalate it so that she could get custody of Madison, long story short she no longer needs her two-bedroom house".

"I'm so confused by that long story short statement you just threw out there".

"She gave me her house," Peyton told him.

"I don't have friends who give me houses".

"I'll introduce you to mine," Peyton told him smiling. "I offered her money, but she wouldn't take it".

"Your place, then"? He asked. "Tonight"?

Peyton nodded. But, she looked up to see Lucas standing in the corner holding a cup of coffee tightly in his hands.

"Excuse me," she told Jake before rushing over to Lucas. "Hey," she said, softly. "I—".

"Don't?" he told Peyton. "I'm happy for you," he said. "You and Jake make more sense than you and I ever did".

"Luke".

"I mean it—I'm thankful for the years we had, for Sawyer, but don't apologize. You did nothing wrong, you deserve happiness, Peyton. You deserve greatness, and I couldn't give it to you".

"Because your heart was somewhere else"? She asked leaning against the wall next to him.

"For the most part".

"So, why haven't you told her"?

Lucas shrugged, but then looked at Peyton "is this weird"? He asked. "Us standing here talking about new relationships when our divorce isn't even finalized"?

"You would think, but I believe this is the most normal we have felt in years".

* * *

Madison lay in her boyfriend's bed—naked, still tucked under the covers, in what she thought was a state of complete and total bliss. She twirled her dark curl around her finger as she looked upon the ceiling above her boyfriend's bed—noticing the one star he must have forgotten to remove years ago.

She looked at it, smiling, putting all her focus on that one tiny start that Nathan and Haley bought for their son to help him with his fear of the dark when he was a child. It wasn't until she felt Jamie move that she was able to remove her focus from the glowing shape above her head.

She watched, still smiling as Jamie slid his underwear back on and over his hips before kicking the covers off of his body.

Madison sat up, with the covers still wrapped tightly around her body before sliding her hands around Jamie laying them across his chest and planting small kisses on the back of his neck.

"I love you—do you know that"? Madison whispered.

But, instead of repeating it Madison felt Jamie's entire body stiffen up and he stood up—leaving her alone in the bed.

"What's wrong"? Madison asked, insecurely, clutching the blanket to her body by the complete change in her boyfriend's behavior.

"Nothing".

Jamie didn't look at her as he searched the room for his jeans, but she watched him.

"Jamie".

"What"? He asked looking at her, angrily, tossing his hands to his side—frustrated.

"What did I do"? She asked. "Did—did you not—" she stuttered as she picked at the area beneath her nail, before finally just spitting the question out. "Did you not enjoy it"?

He scoffed. "Of course I enjoyed it, Madison". Jamie shook his head as he picked his jeans up off the floor and stepped into them.

"Then why are you so mad"? She asked. "Was I not good or something—"?

"Even if you weren't which you were—how would I know"? Jamie said bitterly as fastened his jeans. "Not everything is about sex".

"Jamie I don't—".

"No matter what happens I want you to always be my first" Jamie cut her off. "That's what you said before we—before," he told her leaning his back against his dresser. "What in the hell does that mean"?

"Maybe we should have talked first".

"Maybe we should have—so talk".

Madison was one hundred percent certain she had never seen her boyfriend so angry before.

"I'm staying with Brooke".

"But"? He asked through his teeth.

"I might not get to stay, here in Tree Hill, permanently" she admitted. "They switched my temporary home to Brooke, for now. But, that's the most they can do, I have to go to this court in a week or so, it hasn't been set yet but—".

"You could still leave"?

Madison didn't need to verbally answer him, he already knew. It had quickly become the elephant in the room.

"I just—".

"You just what"? Jamie yelled. "You thought I'll make sure I lose my virginity to this blonde moron so I don't have to lose it to some Pauly D look-alike in New Jersey".

Madison felt tears swell up in her eyes as her boyfriend ran his hand over his mouth.

"I know you fantasized about this a thousand times," Jamie told Madison. "You pictured this romantic and perfect Nicholas Sparks moment, I didn't. But, I did think about it, Maddie. Not in the way that you did but I did think about it. I thought about kissing you and touching you and being with you, and I didn't just think about it to get my damn rocks off"! He screamed, his voice bouncing off the four walls inside his bedroom. "But, when I thought about it I thought about in terms of forever, I didn't just want to be your first Maddie. I wanted to be your only, and I wanted you to be mine" Jamie said his voice breaking.

"I want that, too"!

"Do you"? He asked. "Because it sounds like to me if you leave you already made a decision about us—no matter what happens I want you to always be my first" he repeated once again. "It sounds like if you do leave you have already made a decision about us. Is that what you want, to break up"?

"No"! Madison shouted. "How could you even think that"?

"Give me a reason not to—you're the one that said it, not me," Jamie said. "All I could think about was being with you, and all you seemed to be thinking about is making sure I was your first".

"Jamie, you're taking this the wrong way I just—I didn't mean it that way".

"Then tell me how you meant it".

Madison looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot, and her face covered in tears. She was certain she could feel her insides shake, and she shook her head. She knew she had said it, but she couldn't seem to remember why in this precise moment.

"I don't know," Madison said. "I just know that I didn't mean it like that. I love you"!

"Do you? You're already thinking about us breaking up" Jamie told her.

"No"!

"Madison, just stop—I heard it come out of your mouth. I didn't say it, you did! So, if you didn't mean it that way if you do move away what happens to us? What do you think will happen"?

She ran her fingers through her hair and pressed her forehead to her knees. "Jamie, just stop" she pleaded. "You're scaring me".

"What's scaring you"? He asked folding his arms. "All this talk about breaking up?! Imagine how I feel—".

"What are you saying"? Madison asked looking up at him. "Are you—are you breaking up with me"?

Jamie paused.

"Yeah" he said slowly. "I guess I am".

Madison said. "This is not the way this was supposed to go".

"Now, that I can agree with".

* * *

_Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me  
And how long I've waited for your touch  
And if you knew how happy you are making me  
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much_

* * *

Haley ran to Peyton's side taking her by the arm and dragging her down the long hallway, to her friend's dismay as she still had half of a donut in her mouth.

Haley removed the donut tossing it into the garbage and earned a look of death from Peyton.

"I was eating that," Peyton said. "Actually, I was sitting and eating that, what is this about"?

"I saw Jake" Haley told her.

"What are we in high school again"?

"Technically I never left" Haley admitted. "I am a teacher there—just tell me what happened".

"We are in a hospital, nothing".

Haley rolled her eyes. "What did he say"?

"That you need to mind your business".

"If you guys get married and have babies—it's only right that you name your firstborn Haley".

"I was eating a donut and now I'm having babies with a man I haven't even been on a first date with"? Peyton asked putting her hands on her hips.

Haley smiled. "Seriously, is it going okay"? She asked, her voice softening.

"Yes" Peyton told her. "He is coming over tonight" she informed her friend.

"Ohh, are you—".

"No," Peyton said quickly, and slightly offended. "I would never sleep with someone on the first date".

"Didn't you sleep with some man in a random country while you were still married"?

Peyton stopped and looked at Haley, who meant it all in good humor with a smile on her face.

"That's beside the point," Peyton said pointing her finger at Haley. "I don't even know for certain if this is a date, it's—order take out and—".

"If you shave your legs it's a date," Brooke said, smiling as she passed the two on her way towards the cafeteria.

"She is right you know," Haley said pointing over her shoulder.

"I know—just don't ever tell her that".

"Okay, I know you said you won't sleep with him because it's only your first date or maybe it's not a date but just in case—because you never know," Haley said cracking her purse open. "Here".

Haley handed Peyton a handful of condoms, smiling.

"Haley James Scott"! Peyton said in a rush to hide them before someone saw. "What the hell are you doing with condoms in your purse"?

"After an uncomfortable encounter with Jamie one night when he went to get a condom out of the bathroom so I always have some in my purse," Haley told her. "So, no one has to leave the bedroom—I just put these in here this morning".

"How convenient," Peyton said. "But, that's not what I meant—why do you have condoms? You can't get pregnant when you're using condoms".

"I didn't tell you, Nathan and I decided no more babies" Haley told him. "I got my boy and I got my girl, I got a good life. I would love to have had a big family but Lydia is almost nine and Jamie will be graduating soon, it just doesn't make sense to have more".

"I want more, one day".

"But, you also only have a ten-year-old" Haley said. "If Jamie graduated and we had a newborn—it would just be too hard. We have enough on our plates as it is".

"That makes sense—I guess thanks for these" Peyton said rolling her eyes as she patted her purse that held the condoms. "That didn't make me feel awkward at all".

* * *

"Hey, Maddie it's Brooke—if you hear this can you pick up," Brooke said into her phone. "I'm probably one of the only living humans with a house phone left, I didn't know if Jamie gave you your phone back yet or not—or if you have even seen him yet. You said you were going to come to the hospital and I haven't heard from you, it's fine if you're resting or showering or whatever—just try to call me when you can. Bye".

Brooke looked up to see Lucas pouring yet another cup of coffee into his small cup.

"If you that had liquor in it—someone might say you have a problem," Brooke said, earning his attention as she walked over.

Lucas once again jumped at the sound of Brooke's voice and tilted his small cup of hot liquid feeling it scorch his skin through his clothes. "Ow," he helped. "Damn it".

"Oh, my god" Brooke said grabbing a handful of napkins. "Here".

Without hesitation, she took the napkins and began pressing them to Lucas, as though they would absorb the liquid from his clothes. But, the both knew better. It wasn't until Brooke presses one of the white cloths below the waistband that he jumped once more—this time hitting the coffee pot knocking it over, hearing the glass pot shatter against the floor, watching Brooke slip on the liquid that had spilled over the floor and fell backward over the nearest table.

"Oh, my god! Brooke"!

Lucas—forgetting about the coffee that was still spilling out across the floor ran in her direction. But, just as she had done he slipped and fell forward busting his face against the hard floor.

Suddenly the coffee had turned a bright shade of red, it was then that Lucas realized it was blood. His blood.

An hour and a half later Lucas was sitting on an examination room table, with a cast on his nose.

"Knock, Knock".

Brooke slowly opened the door and Lucas nearly passed out at the sight.

"You broke your arm"?

"It's just a sprain," she told him holding her wrist up. "My wrist, it's just a little wrap," she said with a shrug. "You look like the one who has a broken bone".

Lucas nodded. "Broken nose," he said as he hopped down off the table. "I'm sorry about your—wrist".

"Please," she said rolling her eyes. "I have twin boys, this is nothing—but are you sure you're okay"?

Lucas nodded. "Let's go, Keith has been in surgery for over five hours—we should be hearing something soon".

Brooke, watched as Lucas held the door open for her, though unsure she stepped through it. The two walked through the hall side by side, and as they did she didn't take her eyes off of him.

"Alright, that's it," Brooke said. "What's going on with you"?

"What do you mean"?

Lucas looked to his side noticing that Brooke was no longer by his side, but she had come to a stop a few feet behind him. If he were to guess she wouldn't move without some sort of answer, any answer.

"Luke, I have known you for—how long? Eighteen years"? Brooke guessed.

"Something like that" he nodded.

"That's almost two decades—twenty years," Brooke said. "That's a long time, so how do you think that you're going to get by with lying to me"?

"Brooke-".

"I can tell when something's going on—is it because of Peyton and Jake? I know that must be hard to see her move on like that—".

"It's not Peyton," Lucas said, as he sat down in a chair that was placed outside of an empty room in the hallway. "It's not Peyton" he repeated, as though she hadn't heard him the first time.

"Then what is it"? Brooke asked, sitting next to him.

Lucas looked at her, was this the time? Was this the place? Probably not. His uncle was in surgery, his sister hated him, and his whole world was falling apart—he didn't know what to expect but he knew he couldn't suffer another injury because of his nerves around her. And neither could she.

"Brooke, I love you".

Brooke smiled and rubbed him softly on the back "Lucas, I love you too—don't worry you can tell me anything".

Of course, she didn't know what he meant.

"No," Lucas said. "I don't think you understand. I don't just love you Brooke—I'm in love with you. I have been—forever, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon. It's why Peyton slept with another man, it's why we agreed to split ways—I'm in love with Brooke".

When Lucas looked up he was prepared to see a fist coming directly at his face, to see Brooke storming away—anything but what he saw.

She sat there, white as a ghost. He wasn't entirely sure if she had heard him or not by the blank expression she had on her face, but if he had to guess he would assume that she heard every word.

Lucas wasn't sure how she was going to respond to the news but he thought he would get a response of some sort. Not this. Not an empty shell of Brooke Davis.

"Luke, Brooke" they heard and looked up to see Haley. "Keith is out of surgery".

They followed Haley to the waiting room where the doctor was walking away from Nathan.

"Well"? Lucas asked as he rushed towards his brother.

"What the hell happened to you"? Nathan asked, unable to process his question by the appearance of his brother.

"I got attacked by a coffee pot—how is Keith"?

"Erm," Nathan said, still unsure by his brother's features and his response but ultimately decided this was more important. "He is out of surgery, alive. They are taking him to recovery right now, the next twenty-four hours are going to be critical but we should know something by this time tomorrow".

"When can we go back to see him"? Lily asked.

"A few hours," Nathan told her. "Right now, it's just a waiting game".

* * *

_It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong_

* * *

**_A/N and deep breath. _**

**_ So, Keith has made it out of surgery but his fate is still up in the air. I found it incredibly hard to write Lily this chapter, she is the most energetic and happy character, and when I get to write with her it's always been fun. Because, she will just say anything and do anything, I think that's my favorite thing about riding the teenagers is because I am getting to make this up as I go. And create them. With the adults I have to sit and think what they really say this, would they really do this, how would they react, and etc. but, for Lilly this chapter was hard because she is dealing with a lot emotionally, obviously. So, there was a big shift change and her character. But, there is also a big shift change in her little love triangle._**

**_ Moving on with the teenagers, i'm not going to give away a lot on Jamie and Madison. But, I I am sure no one saw that happening that way. _**

**_I know! I know! Not a whole lot of Naley, i'm sorry. There was so much going on in this chapter it was hard to really squeeze anything in but I did try to fit in a little something. _**

**_Royal has been the only character that is difficult to write that was part of the show, he and his wife were only in one episode and, I think there was only mentioned it once more. Maybe a few times throughout the series but I never really noticed it too much if they were. _**

**_ I did say Lucas would tell Brooke, I didn't say you would get to see her reaction. You might get to see it next chapter and you might not, but I will say she is definitely not going to react that way you probably want her too._**

**_ Speaking of him, there was a comment about the slow burn I promised, it is still going to be a slow burn. And a couple chapters there will be a moment/moments between the two, but if anything it will push them further away. She is definitely going to have a difficult time dealing with the fact that she unknowingly had a role in the dissolution of her friends marriage._**

**_ Thanks again for reading and reviewing, I love reading your reviews and I tried to get chapters out as soon as I can. _**


	13. Chapter 13

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but a few overly Dramatic story lines._**

* * *

_They stood there pretending to be just friends when all the while everyone in the room could plainly see they were only existing for each other_

_-Emma Blake_

* * *

Six Scott's—one of which was unconscious with a white bandage wrapped tightly around his head.

One Davis, formally Davis-Baker—until widowed.

One Sawyer, previously Sawyer-Scott.

One Landry.

And one Doctor, who felt as though the small room was closing in behind him as he stood in the midst of the large group. Although, it was beginning to feel more like a pack of wild animals that had cornered their prey.

And a lot of extra tension roaming around the room, the news of Jamie and Madison's break up spread like wildfire, although they chose to keep a few details to themselves—like the small bit of information about the two losing their virginity's moments beforehand. That wasn't the only thing that word spread about—the awkward encounter between Lucas and Brooke had quickly made its way around as well.

But, no one dared talk about either—at least not in front of, around, or near the four that were involved. But, everyone had their own opinions about each.

"It's been twenty-four hours," Lucas said, looking at the Doctor across the room from him. "It's been more than twenty-four hours, and you have told us nothing. Yesterday, you said we would know something after twenty-four hours and here we are—twenty-four hours later and we know absolutely, positively nothing".

"I said the first twenty-four hours were critical, which they were Mr. Scott," Doctor Lafferty said, looking around the room in an attempt to make eye contact with the freshest eyes he saw, but unfortunately saw no one around him wore a happy welcoming expression. Instead, if eyes could shoot daggers this is where he would die. "He is making improvements, he isn't where we would like him to be but he is getting there".

"What does that mean"? Nathan asked as he sat back in the chair he was occupying, crossing his arms as he looked at the Doctor.

"Well, that means we didn't expect it to take sixteen hours post-op to get him off of oxygen—we estimated a maximum of five" Doctor Lafferty informed them. "But, in an attempt to focus on the positive he is now off of it—he is breathing on his own which is a very good sign. So, he is progressing, just at a much slower rate than we would like".

"What does that mean in a span of long term"? Haley asked, as she stood behind her husband—resting her hands on his shoulders, lightly massaging them, not that she noticed. It was either out of habit or just a way to keep her hands busy, her husband didn't seem to care either way.

"That means that twenty-seven hours ago I was closing your uncle's skull after spending over six hours inside of his brain with a scalpel," Doctor Lafferty said, trying not to come off to irritated by the group—but found that he was unsuccessful. "Speaking in a long term period, as of right now I am afraid I don't have any answers for that".

Jamie scoffed. "It sounds to me like you don't have any damn answers about anything," he said leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Where did you get your degree at anyways, the university of dumbass"?

Ever since Jamie had walked in with his parents hours ago, Madison had fought so hard not to look at him. For the most part, she had been victorious, but the sound of his voice sent a shiver down her spine as she sat next to Lily holding her hand tightly.

"James Lucas Scott" Haley erupted at her son from across the room.

"Well, it's true Ma," Jamie said gesturing his hand at the doctor.

As the mother/son duo argued, Madison struggled not to look at her boy—ex-boyfriend. Instead, she squeezed Lily's hand just a little harder—as she had done many times since they had arrived but this time it was for selfish reasons. It wasn't to comfort her friend, it was a reflex from her own personal pain. When Madison looked up she saw Jamie's reflection in the television that hung high up on the wall.

She found that pill was much harder to swallow than hearing his voice.

He wasn't looking at her, in fact—he seemed completely unbothered by the fact that she was even in the room. Which hurt even worse.

But, Madison quickly diverted her eyes away from the dark television screen before she lost it—and she couldn't lose it. Not here. Not now. This wasn't about her, or him, or them—she was here for Lily. And Keith.

That was all that she could let matter right now.

"Is he progressing in any other form besides being taken off of oxygen"? Brooke asked.

And suddenly Lucas was in the same boat as the teenaged girl that sat next to his little sister, except he could physically see Brooke. However, his high school sweetheart wasn't one to shy away from eye contact—but it would be nice if she did for once.

Each time Lucas caught her eyes he saw nothing more than her grimacing at him, and her lip quivering—though not in fear. They both knew it was her fighting the urge to lash out at him right there in Keith's hospital room, surrounded by everyone. And she would—if he looked at her just one more time.

It would also be the last thing he ever saw.

"Yes," Doctor Lafferty answered as he opened the large clipboard in his hand. "These are Keith's brain scans—this one was taken twenty-four hours before his surgery and this is the one we took just an hour ago—twenty-four hours after his surgery," he said as he held them up for everyone to see.

Peyton found herself right in the middle of the room, caught between the longing looks her ex-husband...soon to be ex-husband, was giving her best friend. But, they weren't being well received, which she also found herself caught in the crossfire receiving.

But, she promised herself that she wasn't getting in it, Haley did not make that same promise—despite the lectures she had endured from both her husband and Peyton.

"What's those blue lines"? Peyton asked before the doctor had the chance to finish his sentence.

Everyone in the room looked at the large black and white scans Doctor Lafferty has in his hand, except for Haley. She looked at Lucas, her best friend, who even though he was looking at the What Keith's Doctor was showing them couldn't help himself from looking out of the corner of his eye at Brooke.

If Haley could pick a time in her life having a superpower would come in handy, this would be it.

"That's his brain activity—as you can see he is showing more activity today than he was before the surgery".

"So, he is going to wake up"? Lily asked—hopeful.

"Unfortunately, I can't make that promise—".

"What can you promise"? Madison interjected him. "I mean you're his doctor—you must know something".

Madison had assumed that Jamie had been nonchalant about her attendance in the meeting with the doctor, but if she had looked at him after she spoke—she would found that she was badly mistaken.

But, despite the fact that Jamie has been the one to end the relationship he felt tears swell up in his eyes as he starred a hold through the back of Madison's head. That was until his former girlfriend shifted from one leg to the other, and he realized that he hadn't taken his eyes off of her for several passing seconds. He looked back up at the doctor scared that she would eventually look up and catch him.

Even though she didn't see him looking—everyone else did.

"I understand that you everyone here is scared and confused and I sympathize with you—truly," Doctor Lafferty said, looking around the room. "What you are going through is just unimaginable, and confusing—at that. But, this is brain surgery, each brain is different so the healing process for each patient is different. Right now, we continue to monitor him closely and carefully, if you're religious you pray—if not channel your good vibes. It's not just the surgery alone that's prolonging the recovery time, but he has spent the past seventeen years in a coma, the healing time would have been different if he had the surgery directly after he fell into a coma, but he laid in a coma for seventeen years. He is making improvements and the whole neurologist team is hopeful, you should remain hopeful as well. I have a few other patients I need to check on but for now, I have answered all of your questions that I can".

Doctor Lafferty slowly turned to walk away, praying he wouldn't get shot in the back—and was surprised when he made it out the door alive. He quickly found his way down the hall—as he came upon Deb.

"How did it—"? She began.

"Ask the wolves," he said pointing to the room, before storming off before anyone could catch up to him. "Your family is like a pack of damn savages".

Deb watched as he disappeared around a corner and she shrugged. "Sounds about right".

* * *

"Marvin" Millicent yelled from the living room as she stood peering through the curtains. "Is it done, yet? She just got off the bus"!

"Almo—Ouch. Damn it" Millie heard her husband bellow from the upstairs.

"You should have let me put the bed together," Milly said loudly as she leaned around the staircase.

"Just stall for another minute—Ouch, Damn it".

"Make that five"?

"Yeah" Mouth groaned.

The front door opened and Lucy walked through, clutching the straps around each of her shoulders that belonged to her brightly colored backpack.

Millie rushed over the red-headed teenager with a giant smile on her face "how was school"? She asked, as she removed the heavy bag on her new stepdaughters back, that contained one too many books.

"It was great," Lucy told her. "I just have one more test and I will officially be a sophomore—or in the sophomore classes, instead of spending all day in the tutoring center".

"You seem to know everything anyway," Millie said, shrugging.

"Just because I wasn't going to school doesn't mean I stopped studying," Lucy told Millie, as she sat in the floor next to her little brother. "How was your day, Jimmie"? She asked picking him up.

"I think he misses you when you're at school—the sitter said he walks around saying Lu-Lu all day," Millie said.

"I miss him," Lucy said, before looking at her brother. "I miss you, all day! None of the boys at school are as cute as you".

"I'm sure your dad will be happy to hear that".

Millicent became motionless as she realized it was the first time she had referred to Marvin as Lucy's father. He was, the resembles alone was uncanny but if that wasn't enough the DNA test tipped the scales in their favor.

However, everyone had spent the past week tiptoeing around one another, Lucy included.

It was an honest slip of the mouth, but Millicent couldn't help but notice the genuine and ecstatic smile that beamed across Lucy's face. It was a slow process, to start to feel like a family but that definitely gave them a giant push forward.

"Have you seen any boys that you like"? Millie ask as she sat in the floor with her son and stepdaughter. "Or girls, whichever you prefer".

Lucy giggled. "I'm straight," she said. "But, either way no—I have never even dated before. I wouldn't know where to start".

Millie looked at her, and she debated on the question in her head for a brief second but decided to take a chance. "Does that mean—you're a virgin"?

Lucy nodded. "Yes," she told her. "I want to wait until marriage, sex is a big deal to me and from the stories, I have heard of my mom—my biological mother, I just don't ever want to live up to her reputation".

"There is nothing wrong with waiting until marriage," Millie said. "In fact, I bet most parents of teenagers wish their kids would feel that way".

Lucy smiled. "I have a question—I can't exactly talk to Marvin about," she told Millie.

"You can always talk to me, even if you feel like it's uncomfortable," Millie said. "I'm the queen of uncomfortable conversations".

Lucy laughed. "It's not that it's uncomfortable—just uncomfortable to talk about with him, or any man. But, it's almost time for—Aunt flow and—".

"Say no more," Millie said touching her hand. "We will go to the market first thing in the morning".

"You're awesome"!

"I couldn't agree more" Mouth said as he walked down the stairs, oblivious to the conversation that had taken place. "Are you ready"?

"Ready for what"? Lucy asked.

"We have a surprise for you," Millie said as she took Jimmie and placed him in his playpen. "Mommy will be right back, baby," she told him.

Marvin gestured towards the staircase, and even though she didn't know what she was being led to Lucy headed up the stairs. On the last step, she felt a pair of small hands cover her eyes.

"It's a surprise—remember"? Millie said, and Lucy could hear the excitement in her eyes.

"I feel like this isn't safe," Lucy said, smiling. "Don't let me smack into a wall".

"I won't let her" Mouth told Lily, as he watched Millie struggle to lead her down the hallway.

"Just another few steps," Millie said, rolling her eyes at her husband. "And here we are," Millie told Lucy as she uncovered her eyes "vo—".

"Oh, my god" Lucy said as she looked around.

"I never get to say voilà" Millie pouted.

Mouth laughed as he wrapped his arm around his wives waist. "You needed your own room—you don't get much privacy sleeping on the couch".

Lucy covered her mouth, as she felt her lip tremble. She looked around at the fully decorated bedroom—the bed, the dresser, the nightstand, the desk with a computer—she even had her own television in the room that hung up on the wall.

"This—this is mine"? Lucy asked as she felt a tear stroll down her cheek.

"Yes," Mouth told Lucy. "I decorated it myself".

Millie rolled her eyes. "She wouldn't believe that for a second, Brooke helped a little".

"Brooke helped a lot" Mouth corrected his wife. "She has your clothing sizes so she went out and bought you some clothes, too".

Lucy slowly opened the double doors to the closer and felt the air catch in her lungs. She slowly ran her fingers from one item of clothing to the other inside her full closet—her closet.

"Brooke is more accustomed to fashion than either one of us," Mouth said. "Or decorating—or anything, really".

"Hey"! Millie said looking at her husband. "I am stylish".

Lucy looked around as the couple playfully bickered in the corner until she saw a picture sitting on the nightstand that she couldn't help but pick up. "This is me and my mom," Lucy said, her voice cracking.

"Yeah, that was actually Marvin's idea," Millie said walking over. "The picture you had was withering away so before it got completely destroyed we blew it up and put it next to where you sleep".

Lucy sat on the bed, clutching the picture of the woman that had adopted her all those years ago.

"Between your dad and Brooke—we have something else for you," Millie said as she walked over to the desk, pulling a box out from beneath it before finding her way over to the bed and sitting down next to Lucy. "Here you are".

Lucy sat the picture slowly to the side before placing the box in her lap, and slowly opening it. A frame sat at the top, and she picked it up—observing the picture inside. She recognized her father though he was much younger, she wasn't familiar with the redhead next to him.

"That is a picture of me and your biological mother" Mouth said as he rolled the chair over from the desk and sat in it in front of his wife and daughter. "That's Rachel".

"This—this is my mom"? She asked, looking up at him.

"Yes, it was Millie's idea to put this box together," he told her. "It has pictures of your mom, lots of them—including some of her modeling days—".

"She was a model"?

"She was, she might still be" Mouth said, shrugging. "I haven't heard from her in years, it has all the pictures of her we could get together for you. Brooke added a few of our wedding" he said, gesturing towards him and Millie. "And—".

Mouth trailed off as Lucy began to search through the box until she found the picture from their wedding. She smiled, looking at it before she opened the picture frame and replaced the picture of her biological parents with the picture of the couple in front of her.

Lucy then sat the two pictures, the one of her mom and the one of Mouth and Millie, on her nightstand. "There, perfect," she said. "I don't really want anything else in this box".

"Are you sure"? Mouth asked her.

"I'm sure Rachel had a good reason for giving me up from the stories I have heard of her, she doesn't sound like she would be a good mom at all," Lucy said. "But, you? You would have been a good dad, and even if you wouldn't have you had the right to make that decision. She didn't give it to you, I might want to know about her one day—but today is not that day".

"I will put this up then," Mouth told her as Lucy handed him the box.

"I'm going to go check on Jimmie," Millie said, before leaving the two alone.

"For what it's worth you would have made a wonderful dad," Lucy told Mouth. "You are".

Mouth looked down as he attempted not to choke up in front of the teenager.

"Thank you," he said rubbing the back of his head. "Lucy, we want you to be comfortable here—this is your home now, you can invite friends over to stay the night and if you need money just ask—".

"I actually thought about getting a job, someone said Baker Man was hiring and so is the café in town".

"You have spent your entire life working" Mouth said. "I think now it's time for you to be a teenager, a normal teenager. I'm your dad, I will give you money if you need it. Anything that you need, just ask".

Lucy bit down on her bottom lip before she looked up at him. "Okay," she said finally caving in. "There is something I want—it's not money or anything".

"What is it"? He asked.

"I was thinking of trying out for the cheerleading team but—well, I was talking to this girl at school she is on the cheerleading squad and she invited me to this party tonight," Lucy said. "I don't know what your rules are on that but I would really like to go. I have never got to be around kids my own age, or have fun, and I could ride with your friend's son—Andre".

"That's not Skills son, that's a long story but—" Mouth said looking at his daughter. "You can go".

"Really"? Lucy nearly squealed before wrapping her arms tightly around Mouths neck. "You rock," she said leaning away. "I'm going to get ready".

Mouth laughed as his daughter flew over to her closet and started looking through her many new clothes, as her dad stood up and walked out of the room.

"Did you hear that"? Mouth asked Millie who was in the hallway with Jimmie on her hip. "I rock".

"I heard," Millie said, nodding her head as she followed her husband into their bedroom. "I also heard that you didn't give her a curfew".

"Oh, Millie—she is going to be with Andre, I'm sure he has a decent curfew".

"And what if he doesn't"? She asked, shutting the door. "Marvin, I know this is new but you didn't ask her where she is going or who she is going to be with or what time she will be home—".

"I bought her a cell phone, I can call her if I need to".

"And what if the music is too loud for her to hear the phone ringing"?

"Millie, she has been on her own since she was twelve—she deserves a night out".

"She also deserves parents, who set rules and boundaries. You're her father, not her friend" Millie told him. "You're right, she deserves a night out, and to have fun but she deserves to be a kid, too. She has never had that, and the next few years of her life is going to shape and mold her into the adult she is supposed to be—depending on how you raise her. So, do you want her to end up like you, or Rachel"?

"It's one party—you're telling me when you were in high school you never went to one party"? Mouth asked. "I was the school nerd, and even I went to parties".

"It's not about the party—you know what? She is your daughter do what you think is best".

"Fine. I will".

"Fine".

* * *

Peyton stood back with Nathan, Haley, Lily—and Deb as she made a bed up on the couch in Keith's hospital room, as the two former couple's race to see who could leave the room the fastest. Brooke made it a point to walk out the door first making it clear she was not hanging around to speak to Lucas, or even look at him if she had her way. Jamie was right on his god mother's heels as he walked out the door, avoiding all eye contact with Madison—who walked out slowly with Lucas.

"You know," Peyton said pointing once she knew they were out of hearing range "this may actually become interesting".

Lily scoffed. "You think"? She asked sarcastically.

"Should we hang back for a few minutes"? Nathan asked. "Let them fan out of the hospital or—".

"One is our son, remember"? Haley asked. "And Mia will be here with the kids any moment. We have to meet her in the lobby".

"She is already here" Peyton informed Haley. "She text me a few minutes ago—I would have said something but I was on Nathan's side".

Haley shook her head, as the three made their way towards the lobby, where they didn't see Mia or any of their kids—but the four Nathan and Peyton wanted to avoid.

"Don't even think about it" Brooke snapped, holding her finger up as she passed Lucas—who looked as though he wanted to say something to her. "I have nothing to say to you".

"Madison, what do you want to talk about"? Jamie nearly yelled as he spun around on his foot to face the girl he spent most of his life with. "There is nothing more I have to say to you—and most of all I don't want to listen to it. I'm done talking".

Nathan, Haley, and Peyton looked back and forth between Lucas and Brooke, and Madison and Jamie.

"You should go talk to him," Haley said, elbowing her husband in reference to her son.

"Hales" Nathan moaned. "I'm his dad—he isn't going to talk to me".

"You won't know until you try," Peyton said, shrugging.

"I didn't even want to deal with the teenaged drama when it was our teenaged drama—".

"Nathan" Peyton and Haley both said, folding their arms looking at him.

"I'm sorry but I don't remember Peyton being part of our wedding vows," Nathan said, looking at Haley.

"Which ones"? Peyton asked, smiling. "Don't look at me like that—it's a viable question. Your twos first year of marriage wasn't exactly one for the books"?

"This coming from the former Mrs. Scott" Nathan said. "Fine, I will go talk to him".

Peyton and Haley smiled at each other, for a brief second before they heard an all to familiar noise that vaguely resembled a stampede—if there ever was on in the hospital.

"Momma".

Sawyer, Lydia, Davis, and Jude came running down the hallway with Mia following closely behind.

"Can Lydia and the twins stay the night"? Sawyer asked immediately as she approached her mom.

"Well, hi to you, too," Peyton said as she looked at her daughter.

"Right," Sawyer said, shaking her head smiling. "Hi, mom. Can Lydia and the twins stay the night"?

"You'll have to ask your dad," Peyton told her pointing at Lucas as he came walking over. "You're staying with him tonight, so you have to ask him".

"Can they"? Sawyer asked, smiling as she turned to look at her dad.

Lucas looked awkwardly at Brooke and shrugged. "You have to ask their parents but it's fine with me".

Brooke scoffed. "Of course you are going to put that on me," she said, low so that only he and the adults heard.

"Mom can we"? Davis asked, jumping up and down.

"You wouldn't rather go home with me and Madison"? Brooke asked, in her most persuasive voice—though it wasn't persuasive enough.

"No, we want to go to Luke's he is a guy like us," Jude said pointing his thumb into his chest.

"Please" Davis begged his mother.

"Okay, it's fine with me," Brooke said, though she wasn't fine it with it.

"You can go, too Lydy," Haley told her daughter.

"Alright," Davis said as he jumped up and down.

"Let's go Uncle Luke" Lydia demanded. "We are going to give you a makeover".

"Yeah, daddy" Sawyer said. "You're drooping around your eyes".

"Oh, goody," Lucas said sarcastically.

"I will drop Lydia's things off in a little while—" Haley began.

"And I will send the boys things with her" Brooke said, coldly without looking over at Lucas.

"It's Friday night and I'm spending my night with four kids," Lucas said. "I'm living the dream—come on".

Lucas left with Jude tugging on one arm, and Lydia tugging on other his daughter and Davis led the way towards his vehicle. In the midst, they passed Nathan who had just found his son.

"Bye daddy," Lydia said as she passed her dad. "I'm staying all night with Sawyer".

"Your mom said it was okay"? Nathan asked.

"Yes," Lucas groaned.

"Alright," Nathan said, chuckling waving to his daughter. "I love you".

Lydia disappeared out the door with her uncle, cousin, and the twins, leaving Nathan standing in the doorway with his teenager.

The two stood in silence for a few minutes, perhaps longer, until Madison passed with Brooke as they left—tear stains on her face.

Nathan watched as his son watched as she left, he knew he wasn't good at this. He was the wrong person to have any kind of heart to heart about relationships, teenaged relationships at that.

"How—how are you"? Nathan asked his son, awkwardly. "How are you handling this"?

"Fine" Jamie said shortly at his father.

"I mean you have been with her since you were a kid—".

"Can I go out tonight"? Jamie asked, changing the topic mid-conversation.

Nathan looked at his son, who showed zero emotion and it was clear when it came to Madison he wasn't going to.

"Where"? Nathan asked.

"There is a party, I would like to go".

"Whose"?

"Mikey," Jamie told him.

"I don't know, Jamie".

"C' mon dad. I'm not grounded, I'm single—I'm going with Chuck and Andre, just going out with my friends" he told Nathan. "I'm not sneaking out and not telling you, I'm asking".

"Fine" Nathan said, knowing he was going to regret this. "Be home by ten".

"It's the weekend, c' mon dad. The party doesn't start until dark anyways" Jamie pleaded.

"Fine, ten-thirty".

"Three".

Nathan laughed. "Nice try you're not staying out that late, midnight".

"Two".

"Twelve thirty".

"One thirty".

"One".

"Deal," Jamie said, smiling.

"Oh—no. Wait—".

"I will be home by one" Jamie said as he rushes towards the door before his father had a chance to say anything. "Love ya," he said as he walked out the door.

Nathan put his hands on his hips. "How the hell did he do that"?

"How did who do what"? Haley asked as she walked up behind her husband wrapping her arms around his waist.

Nathan wrapped his arm around Haley as Peyton joined them. "No one—Jamie is going out".

"Where"?

"A party".

"A What"? Haley asked jerking away from her husband. "You let him go to a party"?

"I didn't think I had a reason to say no".

"It's a party," Haley said throwing her hands up. "With drinking and dancing—".

"Haley, he is sixteen if you had said no he would have just snuck out," Peyton told her friend.

"It will be fine," Nathan said wrapping his arms around his wife. "Plus, we will have the house to ourself tonight".

Nathan pressed his lips against the side of Haley's neck, and she giggled—lightly, for a second.

"And cue my vomit" Peyton said shaking her head.

"Aren't you going out with Jake tonight"? Haley asked laughing, looking at her.

Peyton headed towards the door and shot over shoulder "not if I don't get home in time to shave my legs" as she left.

"A shower sounds nice," Haley said, smiling at her husband. "Want to"?

"Don't have to ask me twice".

* * *

_**A/N OK, so don't hate me. I know that I promised you find out what happened to keys in this chapter but you will next chapter, but let's face it I'm not going to bring him back and go through all this and that and killed him. That was probably a spoiler but anyways.**_

**_ But, the next chapter is called ships in the night, As in our favorite chips. It is going to be set up and little different than my normal chapters. Instead of jumping from one storyline to another I'm going to set up the next chapter kind of like that episode you and me and the bottle makes three._**

**_ It's all going to take place over the course of one night, but it's going to focus soley on one ship & then The next. _**

**_So, Naley, Brucas, Jeyton, Jaddie, Mouth/Millie (not sure if they had a ship Name or not) & even some Lauren/Skills instead of jumping from one to the other it will be strictly about them. It is not the chapter that I have actually already sat down and written that kind of resembles the storm episode,._**

**_I hope i explained that okay._**

**_Just leave in the review section May be who you want to see first to her do you want to see last. Just give me an nudge up the line up. lol. _**

**_ I know this chapter was much shorter than normal but it was really just a filler before The next chapter. Those who are team Brucas...don't give up! But, I set a slow burn, and he just got out of a marriage with her best friend she isn't exactly too happy with him right now. _**

**_ Oh, and in the next chapter you may be really angry with me because Brooke might just blow her top little._**

**_Until next time! _**

**_Thanks again for the reviews and following my story, it means the world._**


	14. Ship in the night

**_Disclaimer: I only own the storylines, everything else goes to the rock for owners._**

**_Trigger: Teenaged drinking, teenage sex and Naley arguments._**

**_So, remember how I said this chapter would broke into "ships"? I broke my promise, I am so sorry! Which I will explain in my authors note at the end of the chapter. _**

**_Also, there isn't a whole lot of Peyton/Jake... like at all._**

**_Again will explain at the end of the chapter. Sorry everyone. _**

* * *

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_We're just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me trying to find the light_

_Like ships in the night_

* * *

Peyton had forty-five minutes until Jake would be knocking at her front door, she didn't even bother waiting until she reached the bathroom. She dropped one item of clothing after another as she ran through her house before jumping into the shower, and cleaning herself as quickly as she could.

The blonde shaved her legs once, twice, and three times—just to be safe. She wrapped a towel around her body as she rushed to her bedroom, that formally belonged to her best friend and found herself standing in the closet longer than she ever had in her life.

"I hate when Haley is right," Peyton said as she ran her fingers through one black outfit to another.

After trying on one dress after another, when she was about ready to give up, call Jake and cancel she heard the door open.

Peyton ran to the living room knowing that Jake wouldn't just walk in without knocking, at least right now.

Brooke stood in the living room, smiling, holding a handful of hangers in each hand.

"I sensed that I was needed," she said as she tosses the clothes on the back of the couch.

"Oh, my god—yes," Peyton said as she looked in disbelief at her best friend.

"New designs of mine, so you won't have that awkward run-in with someone who is wearing the same thing," Brooke told her. "Try this—purple," she said handing her a dress.

Peyton didn't bother going to her bedroom, she shimmered out of the dress she was in, which was fairly easy considering she hadn't even zipped it.

"Matching underwear," Brooke said smiling, pointing at her friend's undergarments. "Do you have big plans, tonight"?

Peyton rolled her eyes "I can't even think that far ahead, right now" she said as she stepped into the dress Brooke had handed her. "I'm so nervous—I can't ever remember being this nervous before".

"I know," Brooke said. "It's cute, turn around and I will zip you up".

Peyton turned around as Brooke zipped the dress up the back before turning around to face her friend.

"It's missing something," Brooke said, looking her over. "Oh, I got it".

Beneath the many clothes she had brought into Peyton's home, she pulled out a leather jacket.

"I think this would look amazing," Brooke said.

"Ellie—is that Ellie's jacket"? Peyton asked, her voice breaking as she asked the question.

"It is—I fixed it," Brooke told her. "I know it got ruined a little over the years but I did what I could and—".

Peyton slid her arms into the jacket and smiled "it still fits" she said.

"It will look better with shoes but you look hot—I'm good".

Peyton looked at her best friend and smiled. "You said these were new designs—".

"Yeah, as much as I love Baker man I am considering—nothing is set in stone yet, but I miss designing clothes for adults, for me. Clothes that I would wear, I love kids but this is what I love" Brooke told her. "Maddie actually gave the idea".

"You love that little girl don't you"?

"Of course I do," Brooke told her. "She is like the daughter I always dreamed of having".

"Then why don't you just do that"? Peyton asked. "She is a child—you could pass any background check, that would keep her here. Why don't you just adopt her".

Brooke fell silent because she hated that she hadn't even thought about that.

Knock, knock.

"Oh, my god that's Jake," Peyton said, her eyes growing wide.

"Shoes, go—and for the love of god find some jewelry and throw your hair up. I will stall—I am good at that".

* * *

Nathan ran his hands through his dark hair massaging the shampoo out of his hair as he stood in the shower—alone, feeling the warm water fall down his body.

As he continued to clean off he felt two arms slide around his waist and jumped at the touch, turning around to see his wife who was smiling.

"It's just me," she said wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning upon her top toes, kissing him lightly. "Sorry if I scared you".

"I think I still suffer from Nanny Carrie PTSD," he told Haley, it was meant as a joke but they both felt there was some truth in it.

"I dropped Lydia's things off at Luke's," she told him lowering herself, planting her feet flat on the wet floor beneath them. "So, it's just us tonight. Whatever will we do"?

"I have a few ideas," Nathan said scooping his wife up, earning a noise that fell somewhere between a laugh and squeal, until he pinned her against the wall of the shower.

Haley smiled, as she felt her husband kiss down her neck—the water above them pouring down on both of them.

"What time will Jamie be home"? Haley asked, even though it was still early—she wanted to be sure he wasn't going to be traumatized—again.

The poor kid had been through enough sexually traumatizing events this year, the past few months alone.

Haley wasn't going to let walking in on his parents be another.

"One" Nathan answered as he continued to plant small kisses on his wife.

At first, Haley wasn't sure she had heard him correctly, but when she leaned her head up and did her best to remove her mind from the current situation—that being her sexy wet husband, she realized she had indeed heard him correctly.

"One"? Haley asked. "As in A.M"?

Nathan stopped kissing on his wife, knowing good and well that this wasn't going where he wanted it to go.

Haley shimmered out of her husband's arms, as difficult as it was, and did her best to look up at him, due to the overwhelming amount of water pouring down on their heads.

"Yes," Nathan said, his head dropping.

"You told our sixteen year old he could stay out until one in the morning—why didn't you just hand him the alcohol and crack open a cheerleaders pelvis while you were at it"?

Haley stepped out of the shower, leaving Nathan alone once again—and if there was something besides water he would kick it out of frustration. But, there wasn't—and believe it or not he made that mistake once before.

Nathan turned the knobs to the shower causing the water to stop. He reached around pulling the towel that was hanging next to the shower in with him and wrapped it tightly around his waist before stepping out.

He was surprised to find his wife was not in the bathroom, not because he didn't expect her to leave the room just because of how fast she did it.

Nathan found Haley in their bedroom, with a towel wrapped around her body as she searched through the dresser—presumably for something to put on. He figured she was done being naked right now, which was a real bummer for him.

"Hales," Nathan said as he shut the door, out of habit considering they were the most alone they had been in months.

"Do you realize how messed up your parenting style is"? Haley asked, snapping around at Nathan. "You get furious over some tattoos then you turn around and give him some curfew-like one in the morning after telling him he could go to a party—".

"I'm trying to trust him".

"I don't see anything left to trust him with," Haley said throwing her hands up in the air. "Nathan, he is sixteen he doesn't need to be out until one in the morning".

"I agree with you".

Haley looked at Nathan, her brows forced together in the middle of her head. "Are you trying to confuse me, because it's working"?

"That was the curfew he set—for himself".

"I'm really trying hard not to call you names right now," Haley said putting her hands on her hips.

"Okay, look yes he is sixteen—but I got thinking the other day, do you realize he turns eighteen at the end of his junior year"? Nathan asked as he sat down on the edge of their bed.

"So"?

"So, he is going to be eighteen his entire senior year and to make matters worse he is going to come into a lot more money than any senior needs—that's not including the three houses, in Tree Hill alone. Let's face it—he will probably move out that summer".

"I didn't realize that".

"Well, I did," Nathan told her. "He might stay, he might not—that's a choice that's going to be up to him if he spends his senior year at home, but he won't have to".

"What does that have to do anything"?

"Haley, we have two years to prepare him for the real world—life," Nathan said. "Why not let him start making his own choices and let him learn from those mistakes—here"?

"I know"! Haley said, sarcastically clapping her hands. "Why don't we let Jamie make a sex tape with a cheerleader and you can stand by to give him pointers".

"Now, you're just being ridiculous".

"Funny," she said through without a smile on her face. "That's just how you sound to me".

"Hales—".

"You are wanting to let our sixteen-year-old make his own rules—".

"No," Nathan said, shaking his head. "I am giving him a little bit more leniency to make some choices— not all. Give him the chance to be responsible".

"I have an idea," Haley said, tapping her finger against her chin. "Let's let Lydia decide if she wants to go to school or not from here on out".

"Hales—".

"No, hear me out," Haley said, obviously being far more sarcastic than she ought to be. "She needs to learn to make her own choices, it will be wonderful. She can make decisions if she wants to go to school and I can consult with her about dinner, it will be fantastic! We will go to jail for keeping our child out of school and our teeth will rot out from chocolate we serve at dinner".

Nathan watched as Haley stormed out of their bedroom, towel still wrapped around her—clothes tightly in hand. It was clear she wasn't getting naked in front of Nathan right now.

Their romantic night was off to a great start.

* * *

"Hold still uncle Luke," Lydia said, irritated.

"Don't you think that's enough eye shadow"? Lucas asked his niece, though his eyes were closed he was sure it was enough after the first swipe across his lid.

"No, dad," Sawyer said, aggravated. "You really need to wear more of this stuff—it makes you look so much prettier".

"Are you saying I'm not pretty without the makeup"? Lucas asked, unable to believe that he was actually having this conversation but coming to terms with the fact that this was his life.

"It's not that you're not pretty," Sawyer said. "It's just you could be prettier".

"You know Sawyer, what's inside is much prettier than what's on the outside," Lucas told his daughter.

Lydia rolled her eyes "you sound those silly shows they make us watch after school".

"Hiyaaaa" Lucas heard one of the boys yell followed by a loud crash.

He immediately opened his eyes and looked over to see the twins—who were refusing to be called twins and insisted to be referred to as Ninja's, standing above a broken vase and a fallen table.

"Opps," Davis said.

"Sorry, Uncle Luke" Jude told him.

Lucas rushed over shaking his head "it's alright" he told them shrugging his shoulders. "Accidents happen, just why don't all of you go into the kitchen, there are donuts on the table I need to clean up this glass and you don't want any of you to get cut".

"Awesome" Lydia said, running past all of them.

Lucas grabbed a broom as the four disappeared down the hallway "that's what they need—more energy" he said to himself.

Lucas quickly cleaned the mess up and joined the kids in the kitchen, where they had devoured the donuts he had on the table.

"What do you feel like you want for dinner"? Lucas asked, looking at the group of children.

"Is—twere any mo' nuts"? Sawyer asked looking up at her father, mouth full.

"Just the one you spit out all over the place," Lucas told his daughter, looking at her disgusted by the bits of donuts on his kitchen table. "You do realize that you're supposed to chew with your mouth closed, right"?

Sawyer rolled her eyes at her dad.

"Any realistic ideas for dinner"? Lucas asked.

"McDonald's"!

"Pizza"!

"Chick-fil-A".

"Tofu"!

The room fell silent and everyone turned to look at Davis—whose smile dropped immediately.

"I mean—I don't know what did I mean"? He said looking down. "Baby back ribs"!

Lucas laughed as he picked up his home phone "Alright so we are having a pizza from McDonald's with chicken and barbecue sauce on top" he said laughing. "I will see what I can do".

* * *

The loud music boomed from inside the large house that had teenagers spilling out of it, and great aroma of alcohol surrounding it.

Andre shut the door to his car as he dropped his keys into his pocket, as he met Lucy in front of his vehicle—who had her hands awkwardly stuffed into her jacket as she looked around.

"Never been to a party," Andre said, it wasn't a question—it was fairly obvious by her facial expression alone.

"Yes—I mean no, I mean—yes, I have never been to a party" Lucy stuttered, stiffly. "Sorry," she told him covering her face with her hands, before taking a deep breath and lowering her arms. "I'm incredibly socially awkward and—well, that's sentence alone pretty much sums me up".

"Relax," Andre said resting a hand on her shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you—and those two sure as hell won't".

Lucy looked up to see two girls walking over together, their strides in perfect union with one another—as though they were the same person.

"I didn't expect to see either of you two here," Andre told the girls as they approached him and Lucy.

"Yeah, well— I didn't want to come".

"I made her," one of the girls told him. "Deb kept insisting that I get out and try to get my mind off of things with my dad and if I'm getting out then so is she—who is this"?

"Lucy—this is Lily and Maddie and this is Lucy," he said making his introductions.

"Right, your Mouth's long lost daughter".

"You make it sound like a telenovela" Madison told her best friend.

"My dad just came back to the dead after seventeen years," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "As far as I'm concerned we are in a—what did you call it"?

"A telenovela".

"Right—That. Wait—that's the same thing as a soap opera right"?

"Yeah," Madison said. "I should make you binge-watch with me one day".

"We should—would I be able to understand it"?

"Probably not".

"Oh, well—I can use my imagination. How different could it be from our everyday life"?

"Good point," Madison said. "After everything came out about Lauren and my so-called parents who aren't really my parents I don't even know if I have a Spanish heritage".

"You two have a really morbid sense of humor," Andre told the girls who were giggling.

"Oh, don't be a stickler," Lily told him. "Let's go".

The two girls turned and walked toward the house, with Andre and Lucy following closely behind.

"Did that one just say her dad came back from the dead"? Lucy whispered to Andre.

He chuckled. "It's a long story".

"And a good one I bet".

"It's—yeah, it's pretty good" he agreed. "I'll tell you about it later—are you ready for your first real party"?

"Wait, you've never been to a party before"? Lily asked, turning around immediately.

Lucy smacked into her—due to her unpredicted stop, and if Andre hadn't caught her she probably would have ended up on the ground. Madison turned around once she realized her friend was no longer by her side.

"Yeah—I mean—" Lucy stuttered.

"She has never been to a party," Andre told Lily.

Lily took Lucy by the hand and jerked her up, locking elbows with the girl.

"Then you need to have this experience correctly—no offense Andre, but he isn't the best person to do that with," Lily said.

"Offense taken".

"What's your favorite movie, Lucy—right"? Madison asked, even though she was almost one hundred percent sure.

"Harry Potter".

"Okay, Andre is like Hermione—with a penis. I think I wouldn't know for certain—".

"Oh, my god I have a penis" he shouted at his teasing friends.

Even though they hadn't made it into the house, where the real party was at, there were enough people outside—all of which were looking at Andre, laughing.

"Anyways," Lily said, snickering. "She is right—we will make this your best first-party".

Madison locked elbows on the other side of Lucy and the three walked up the walkway and into the house—followed closely by Andre, who had a penis FYI.

Lucy wasn't sure when or how long after they walked inside that the group of four each had their red solo cup, with very questionable liquid inside that she chose not to drink, unlike the two girls she was surrounded by.

"And that's Stacy and her little friend Cathy," Lily told Lucy casually pointing across the room.

"She isn't with anybody," Lucy told them.

"I know," Madison said taking a sip of her drink. "We have been trying to tell her that since the fourth grade".

"On, and that's Slutty Sasha," Lily said pointing to a girl dancing up on one of the tables. "I couldn't even tell you if she has a last name—as far as I know, her first name is Slutty and last name, Sasha".

"Wonder who her dime of the dozen is going to be tonight"? Andre asked.

"Dime of the dozen"? Lucy asked.

"Out of a dozen guys at the party she always picks the best dime, best looking, guy that will show her any attention—and only one, and then she ends up having sex with them in the back of their car," Lily told her. "Most party girls like the attention of a lot of different guys, not Sasha. She focuses all of her attention on just one, even though the majority of them has their attention on her".

"Looks like we are about to find out," Andre said pointing.

Sasha's face lit up and she slowly made it off of the table and ran across the room before throwing her arms around—Jamie.

Lily and Andre looked over at Madison, who had not surprisingly dropped her drink.

"Excuse me," she said. "I think I'm going to be sick".

Madison quickly made her way out of the house as the three watched as Sasha jumped up on Jamie, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Hell, no" Lily said shaking her head. "I will be right back".

Lily stormed off, though not in Madison's direction. She walked straight towards her cousin and Sasha.

"What—did I miss something"? Lucy asked Andre.

"That was Madison's boyfriend for ten years, that's my best friend," Andre said. "Let's go check on Madison, I'm sure Jamie doesn't want us all to see him get his ass kicked by someone half his size".

* * *

"Thirty-five even," the delivery man told the dark-haired woman in front of him.

Brooke searched through her wallet before finding a twenty-dollar bill, a ten-dollar bill, and a five-dollar bill. She traded the man the money in her hand for the food in his before waving him off fairly quickly.

After shutting the door Brooke turned around to find herself, alone. Not that she wasn't aware before, she knew Lily came by dragging Madison out—who really didn't want to go, and her boys were with Lucas.

Much to her dismay.

But, as the mother of twins and a foster mom to a teenaged girl she didn't complain too much, she made her way to the living room and curled up on the couch with her food—and the notebook.

Brooke quickly devoured her food, and over halfway through the movie she had eaten a small pint of ice cream and was now working on a large bowl of popcorn—with as much butter as she could put on it.

"So you make love to me, and then you go back to your husband? Was that your plan? Was that a test that I didn't pass"?

"No! I made a promise to a man. He gave me a ring and I gave him my word".

Brooke shook her head as she popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth "stop pretending" she told the television as if the couple on the screen could actually hear her. "We both know you still want his ass".

Brooke poured the remainder of the red wine in her glass down her throat, before pouring another glass.

At the end of the movie, she looked around at the large mess she caused the unusual amount of food she had consumed. Brooke quickly tidied her living room back up and cleaned her dishes, and made her way up to her bedroom.

Brooke had planned to get ready for bed, but saw the large stack of boxes in the corner she had brought from the attic to look for pictures of Rachel for Lucy—but she saw a large box sitting on top with the name Lucas written across it.

She picked the box up and brought it over to her bed, and sat down with the box.

Brooke did nothing but stare at the box for the longest time, part of her wanted to do nothing but burn it. She could vaguely remember what was in the box, but it hadn't been opened in over sixteen years.

"I don't need to look in it," Brooke told herself, as she continued to trace his name. "It doesn't matter what's in it—it's in the past".

Brooke didn't even believe herself, recent events told her that not everything that was in the past would stay in the past.

She slowly opened the top and the first thing she saw was a small—dusty picture frame. Brooke gently lifted it and looked at a picture of her and Lucas. It was from Rachel's cabin, the two were kissing in front of it.

Brooke traced the outline of her and Lucas, she couldn't help but notice how happy she was. But, she knew she had been just as happy since, with Julian.

Forty minutes later the box was empty as she had gone through the pictures, the letters—the memories.

Brooke giggled as she pulled a t-shirt out of the bottom and replaced the one she was wearing with the one she had stolen from Lucas—seventeen years ago. She jumped up and ran over to the mirror in the corner of her room and looked at herself, it still fit. She partially wondered if it would still fit Lucas—but then she felt her face turn red at the thought.

Brooke turned on her heel, and went back to her bed, stuffing everything—very unorganized stuffing everything back into the box. She picked the box and made her way through her house and outside—and jumped into her car.

Brooke was going to see Lucas.

* * *

Nathan turned the corner into the kitchen inside his home, where he no doubtfully found his wife—with a large knife in her hand.

Thankfully, the knife was already being used food—which he hoped that's where it would stay. Although, Nathan feared that if he didn't play his cards right he would be the next thing to find his way into the large pot.

"Don't start" Haley warned her husband.

"Hales, I'm many things—stupid isn't one of them," Nathan told his wife as he reached into the refrigerator and pulled a cold beer out. "If you walk in on a woman chopping vegetables at nine O'clock at night—I know not to say anything".

Haley looked up at him, though it was less of a look and more like a death glare, either way, even without looking at her, he could feel her eyes piercing through him like knives. Which was ironic at this moment.

Nathan sat at the counter, quietly drinking his beer and snacking on a bag of chips that Jamie had left. That was until he heard a loud clatter, and looked up to as Haley had slammed the knife in her hand down on the counter next to the stove.

"I can't believe you seriously told him he could stay out until one in the morning," Haley said as she dumped the vegetables she had sliced into a large pot. "What were you thinking"?

"Fine" Nathan said. "I will call him and tell him to be home—at what time"?

"Ten would have been reasonable".

"Ten... parties don't start until eight or nine most of the time anyways, Haley," Nathan told his wife.

"That's just the thing—he shouldn't be going to parties where there is drinking and orgies and—".

"What kind of parties do you think is happening in little good old Tree Hill—drinking, yes, but an orgy? You think our son broke up with his childhood sweetheart and decided to go to an orgy" Nathan said, looking at his wife in disbelief.

"What I mean is when he asked you to go to a party, you should have said no".

"For what reason"? Nathan asked her. "His grades are good, he isn't grounded—granted he blackmailed his way out of that, but—".

"Nathan, it's a party"! Haley said throwing her hands up. "What business does he have at a party"?

"Hales, we went to parties in high school".

"Isn't that how your infamous sex tape got made"?

"Wow," Nathan said shaking his head as he finished his beer. "That sex tape I made eighteen years ago is made an appearance twice tonight. That's a record".

"Nathan".

"Haley," he said her name, in the same tone she had said his, which only added to his wife's frustration. "He is sixteen, he is going to party and do things, live. You're only young once, I believe that keeping him from doing these things will only lead to him sneaking around and doing them anyway, and then he won't confide in us at all—and when he turns eighteen and is legal he will go wild and that's how you end up on MTV".

"Could you be serious for one minute"?

"Haley, I am being serious" Nathan said looking at her sternly. "There are rules that we set for him, and there is strict—then there is being too strict. We can't lock our kids up and throw away the key. No matter if I had said yes or no, he probably would have still went to that party. We can't stop him from growing up babe. I'd love to just as much as you do—but what you're wanting to do will only lead to him rebelling against us, we have to let him make his own choices but I want him to trust us—if he drinks too much I want him to call me and say, dad, can you come get me, versus the alternative of him trying to drive home because he snuck out. He has to learn to stand on his own two feet, without us".

"But—".

"Hales, there have been times I haven't been the best husband or the best father, but I try my very best. You have to trust me, I know what I am doing when it comes to Jamie".

Haley looked at Nathan, with her arms crossed. But, she didn't look convinced to her husband. "I thought we were parenting together"?

"We were," Nathan said as he stood up. "I want that, but you are living in this world where you're pretending Jamie isn't growing up, you want him to be a kid for the rest of his life and he can't. He is going to drink, he is going to do things we don't approve of, he is going to have sex, he—".

"Sex"? Haley said, half snorting at the comment. "He is too young to even think about sex".

Nathan ran his fingers through his hair shaking his head, partially aggravated with his wife, and he partially felt bad for her. "That's what I am talking about baby. I was younger than he is now when I had sex for the first time—".

"With my sister"?

"Yes" Nathan said, trying not to trail off the topic. "You were just a year older, do you realize that he is one year younger than we were when we got married. He is going to be a junior next year, the same age we were when we met and got married—Haley, he is going to do things like sex".

Haley shook her head "no" she told him. "He told me he wanted to wait until marriage—as I did".

"He said that when he was ten, or eleven"? Nathan asked because he wasn't all to sure about his son's exact age when that conversation took place. "He isn't ten or eleven anymore, he is a horny sixteen-year-old boy".

"Nathan, that's just gross".

"Haley, you walked in on him— masturbating just a month ago"! Nathan said pinching the bridge of his nose, choosing a more educational word than he had used the first time seeing her reaction. "He is going through puberty, he—hell Haley is getting taller than me. I love you, and you're a brilliant woman, but you are living in denial when it comes to Jamie. You want to pretend that he isn't going through all of these things, honestly—I'm pretty certain that he and Madison have already had sex".

Haley felt her mouth drop, there was no way. Not her baby boy, he couldn't have.

"And what makes you say that"? Haley asked.

"Because he talked to me about it a few months ago," Nathan told her honestly. "He was still a Virgin then, but they wanted to. He said they were both ready, they had a minor set back with the penile fracture—but after that healed I'm sure they found away if they were serious".

"Maybe they weren't serious".

"During Keith's surgery I had to come back home, to get our phone charges—I was pretty sure I heard them" Nathan admitted as he sat down.

"You didn't go check"?

Nathan looked up at her, his face twisted in disgust. "I didn't really want to" Nathan admitted. "Seeing my son having sex isn't exactly on my bucket list".

"Nathan, they might have—and that's a strong might, but they could have been having sex in our home—underaged, and unmarried and you just go about your business".

"First of all—I know sex noises when I hear them," Nathan told her. "So, unless they were jumping on the bed and she was screaming oh, my god Jamie for giggles they were having sex. Second of all, I'd rather him have sex here or at Brooke's anyways".

"You can't be serious," Haley said. "You're actually alright with it"?

"I don't mean in the sense that we verbally allow it to him, but if he is here—or over at Brooke's with her, then he is going to take his time".

"Oh, that's what I needed to hear," Haley said.

"I meant he will take his time putting the condom on, they won't feel so rushed-he will have a good visual to make sure they are safe. I'm not going to go up to him and tell him I'm alright with it, and yes it bothers me too—but it would bother me more if I became a grandfather right now. If we tell him he can't, it's just like drinking and other stuff he still will—except he will sneak and do it. Which means he will rush, and might not wear the condom properly or notice if it broke, and next thing you know we are standing in the nursery at the hospital holding our grandchild and we are barely in our mid-thirties".

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that they broke up".

"It won't last," Nathan said, folding his arms. "And if it did, he will meet someone new. He is a teenager, acting like a teenager Hales—and you have to accept that".

Haley stormed past her husband with a snide comment "don't tell me what to do".

* * *

Lauren walked through down the hall—catching a glimpse of herself through one of the darkened windows—dressed in an orange jumpsuit, cuffs around her wrists and ankles, led by two guards in front of her and followed by two behind her. She looked pale and felt weak, it was probably from the lack of sleep she had since she arrived.

Arrived was too good of a word.

She was booked, patted down—searched, in every cavity she had, and thrown into a cell alone where she had been.

Lauren had zoned out into a zombie state until she heard a loud buzzing and looked up to see a large door opening. She was led—or pushed through the door but when she looked up she saw Skills across the room, standing at a table, and she suddenly felt a large sense of relief flow through her.

The guards unlocked her cuffs and removed them before stepping out.

"Oh, my god" Lauren said rushing to her ex-boyfriend, letting him wrap her in a tight hug.

"You're Alright," Skills told her. "It's going to be okay".

"How is any of this going to be okay"? Lauren said, crying into his shoulder. "I'm facing felony charges, large life sentences felony charges. I can't—".

"I won't let this happen" Skills promised her as they sat down on the small bench in the corner. "You didn't do anything wrong, you protected that girl. I have already talked to a few lawyers, I'm talking to a few more before I make a final decision on who I let represent you—".

"Represent me," Lauren said sitting back against the wall. "Do you know they have me in isolation? One of the officers said it's for my own protection, what in the hell does that even mean? My own protection—".

"Calm down," Skills said. "I won't let anything happen to you, they finally set a bail but I'm not able to do anything until Monday morning so—".

"My bail was set at five hundred thousand dollars".

"Monday morning, eight a.m, your sexy ass is walking out of here," Skills told her. "I promise, you will be on house arrest but it's better than being here".

"I'm never going to teach again and poor DJ—oh, my god—".

"I have already talked to David" Skills told her. "He is fine. We explained without actually explaining—we lied our asses off about where mommy is, we said you were at the spa".

"Some spa" Lauren said leaning back, feeling tears fall out of her eyes. "How is he"?

"Good. David's mom is homeschooling him for now" Skills told her. "They all know you would never do anything like this, and he will bring DJ to see you as soon as you get home. No questions asked. No one thinks for a second that you would do something like this, you have taken care of Madison for most of her life—I will get cleared. I promise".

* * *

Jamie walked down the beach from the party, feeling the cool, crisp breeze from the splashing waves out in the ocean. He didn't know what caused him to wonder off from the party, it's not like he wasn't enjoying himself. In fact, the nearly empty bottle in his hand told him perhaps he had enjoyed himself a little too much.

"Maddie"?

Jamie looked up to see his girlfriend, former girlfriend, standing in an old abandon lifeguard tower sipping out of red cup looking out into the ocean. She never looked up as he made his way towards her, she never heard Jamie walk up the stairs and around the small building.

"You always did say the ocean was your favorite part of growing up here," Jamie said as he walked up beside her, leaning over the fencing just as she was.

"What—What are you doing here"? Madison asked standing up straight, turning to face him. "Shouldn't you be off with Sasha"?

"Shouldn't I be off with—Sasha"? Jamie asked, chuckling as he stood up straight just as she had. "Seriously"?

"I saw you two—".

"No, you saw her come and hug me, just like she does at every basketball game to piss you off," Jamie told her. "Which is probably what that was, to piss you off. Good to see it worked".

"It didn't".

"Oh, silly me—I spent ten years with you what makes me think I know you," Jamie said sarcastically rolling his eye.

Madison turned away from him, fighting the tears that were swelling up in her eyes. She wasn't entirely sure what made her cry if it was standing here in front of him or his use of the word "spent", as in past tense.

Painfully reminding her that they were officially past tense, their relationship was past tense.

"But, then again you spent ten years with me and assumed something was going between me and Sasha—just a few days after we split up, so maybe you don't know me either".

Madison spun around to face Jamie who was sipping on his the liquor bottle in his hands. "Why the hell is that supposed to mean"?

"Nothing," Jamie said, shaking his head.

"No, don't act that way now," Madison told him. "You already put your foot in your mouth, so go on and say whatever it was that you were going to say".

Jamie took three large gulps of the brown liquid in his nearly empty bottle, ran his hand across his mouth getting rid of the few drops that didn't make it into his mouth, and looked at Madison, through bloodshot eyes.

"What did you think I was going to do with Sasha"? Jamie asked. "Let me guess, you thought I was going to be her dime of the dozen for the night, right? Am I right"?

Madison didn't answer him, she just glared at him with her arms folded.

"I'll take that as a yes" Jamie said. "What the hell do you take me for? Do I look like the kind of guy that's going to have sex with you and then screw her a couple of days later—I have more class than that and a lot more respect for you than that. So, it sounds like you don't know me that well—".

"Screw you, Jamie," Madison said pushing past him.

It was too dark for Jamie to see the tears in his exes eyes, but he grabbed her hand unable to let her leave.

Madison didn't know have time to blink before she had her back against the bungalow and Jamie's body pressed hard against hers—one of his hands pressed against the building above her head, the other sliding up her leg.

"I can arrange that," Jamie said, his voice low and hoarse, as he ran his finger through the hole in her jeans tracing the fishnet tights she wore beneath her pants.

Perhaps it was the liquor, that was coursing through both their veins, but when she looked into his eyes she found herself biting down on her bottom lip—unable to say no, even if she wanted to, which she didn't.

Seconds later the two burst through the door of the bungalow, lips locked, slamming from wall to wall as they tore each other's clothes off.

The party music still echoing in the background where everyone else was, no one around to hear the moans coming from inside the bungalow where the former was engaged in their new favorite activity.

Madison didn't know what her hand was wrapped around above her head, she didn't know if it was sturdy or safe but she held on tightly as Jamie had her pinned to the wall, her legs wrapped around waist. She felt his lips running down her neck, kissing, sucking—biting on her.

And she didn't want him to stop.

Good thing he didn't plan to.

* * *

Lucas looked into his daughter's bedroom, the very one he grew up in, where four kids slept soundly. The curly blonde that had his DNA running through her veins, shared her large bed with her cousin and Brooke's boys slept on the small couch in the corner. The light from the television shined bright through the room, that he considered shutting off but knew of Davis' fear of the dark, so at the risk of him waking up, he opted to leave it on.

Lucas quietly pulled the door closed as he stepped out, shutting the loud booming music from Hercules in the room. He let out a long sigh as he made his way through his suddenly silent home.

He stepped into his bathroom, quickly showered, dressed, and began cleaning his house, found it odd he couldn't remember ever seeing it in such a shape.

After cleaning Lucas yawned as he fell on to the couch, ready to shut his eyes for the night but instead he sat behind his computer screen, writing, seeing as it was a perfect time.

But, it didn't last.

The front door flew open and Brooke stormed inside with a large box in her hand, Lucas didn't have time to respond to her presence before she dumped everything inside the box on his lap—covering both him and the laptop.

Lucas looked around, at the items in his lap—the many papers, the pictures—not fully registering what it was just what she had done, and then looked up at Brooke, who no doubtfully was furious.

"I believe what the hell covers it," Lucas said as he pushed the materials, laptop included, off his lap before standing up.

"This is everything from our relationship, almost two decades ago" Brooke yelled at him. "Everything. Every letter, every picture—there is even an old disgusting eggshell from the time you cooked me breakfast in bed"!

Lucas, shocked by her revelation, turned back towards his couch where everything lay and sure enough, she was telling the truth. Even about the eggshell, which was shocking.

"How dare you"! Brooke yelled as she hit her palms sternly into Lucas' chest. "How dare you" she repeated only louder than before. "How dare you put this on my shoulders, Peyton is my best friend! How dare you blame me for your divorce"!

"Brooke, I never blamed you for my divorce—".

"So, you're telling me that I had nothing to do with your decision to leave Peyton"? Brooke asked. "You two were in therapy and two seconds later you weren't, you were the one who wanted to work things out and then all of a sudden you were the one who filed for divorce—Peyton would make these snarky comments when I brought it up and of course now I understand why, you're telling me that all of that is just a big coincidence, that you're feeling for me had nothing to do with your decision"?

Lucas didn't say anything, he ran his finger over his eyebrow, trying to think of the right words to say. But, he knew that right now, at this moment there were no words, there were no right words.

"I mean—yes, my feelings for you had a part in our divorce".

"Oh, my god" Brooke said running both hands through her hair, tears falling down her face.

"But, it wasn't the only reason" Lucas reminded her, though he didn't really need to. "Peyton cheated on me, remember"?

"Good for her" Brooke fired back at him.

"Peyton is the one who wanted me to tell you, our damn therapist was trying to shove it down my throat—".

"Remind me to send him a card on Halloween".

Brooke looked at Lucas who stood in a pair of Athletic pants and a plain white t-shirt, his hands on his hips—if he didn't have any color in his face she couldn't be certain he was alive, due to the fact that he looked as though he was not breathing.

"I wasn't going to tell you, not at first" Lucas told her. "I didn't want to, I didn't want to ruin what we had—our friendship. We were close".

"What changed your mind"? Brooke asked, her voice not as loud for the first time since she walked in his home.

"Seventeen years did," Lucas told her. "If I have held on to these feelings for this long then there is a reason, right? It's been seventeen years, we haven't been together since—Nathan and Haley's wedding—".

"I don't need a recap, I remember," Brooke said, throwing her hands up. "I was there. I might not have been inside the school when she kissed you but I was outside worrying about my best friend and my boyfriend. Although, I sure as hell was at the wedding when Peyton told me she still loved you and I—".

"Hold on"! Lucas said interrupting Brooke. "Peyton told you that she loved me? At the wedding, Nathan and Haley's wedding—that's what she told you, then"?

"Oh, Luke—that was almost twenty years ago my memory is a little fuzzy".

"No" Luke shouted. "You just—no. She told you that"?

"It's late, let's not do this".

"No, Brooke—Okay, yes I opened this can of worms but you came here, it's ten at night—and you came storming into my house. So, answer me—Except you already said it. You said it, Brooke, she told you that she loved me—".

"Luke".

"Did she tell you before or after you broke up with me"? Lucas asked, without hesitation.

The two stood in silence for a minute, he didn't take his eyes off of her—not even for a second. But, Brooke—she looked everywhere but Lucas. Mainly at the door, she thought about how fast she could make her getaway. But, even standing seven feet behind her and with a bad heart, she knew Lucas could beat her to the door.

"Be—before?" Brooke said slowly looking over at him, realizing that there was, in fact, no way out right now. Location or conversation.

Lucas didn't have to stop and ponder on his next question, it came to him faster than a forty-year-old virgin.

"What if she hadn't told you"? Lucas asked. "What if—".

"Luke, that was years ago" Brooke cut him off. "A decade and then some ago—"

"You're the one who came here wanting to take a trip down memory lane, Brooke," Lucas said, his voice not nearly as quiet as it should have been. "So, let's stroll".

"I don't know" Brooke yelled at him. "I don't know. I had just found out about the kiss—and everything all at once. I don't know".

Brooke was being honest, she didn't know.

"Luke, I was seventeen and confused and hurt—you hadn't just broken my heart once but you shattered it—twice, within a year. I don't know if I would have stayed with you or not or if she hadn't told me. Why does it matter"?

"It matters to me," Lucas said, plainly. "It matters because I deserve to know if you would have forgiven me—".

"Because, why? Because you regret your marriage and—".

"No"! Lucas said slamming his hand down on the table next to him. "That is the one thing I won't say I don't regret. Peyton and I were not meant to be together, but I have Sawyer out of it and right now—she is the only thing holding me together. My sister won't talk to me, you're pissed at me, everything with Keith, I am in the middle of a divorce—I am less than a centimeter away from losing it. For God sake I had a conversation with my dead father a week ago, so no I don't regret my marriage or anything with Peyton. She wasn't scared to admit she loved me, even when the timing was bad".

Perhaps those were the wrong words, or by the look on Brooke's face, they most definitely were. If looks could kill Lucas would be face down in a coffin right about now, he knew it.

"All I meant was—".

"No, I know what the hell you meant Luke" Brooke snapped. "And for your information, I'm never scared to admit anything".

"Then do you—love me"?

"I don't know"! Brooke said her raspy voice breaking. "You have been married to my best friend for ten years—you can't just leave her and expect me to open my arms to you like no time ha passed. I can't—I just can't do this. She is my best friend—".

"So, you said".

"Lucas, this isn't a game, this isn't funny or a joke".

"Do you see me laughing"? Lucas asked, with a stern face. "I didn't expect you to just jump into my arms but I had to tell you, Brooke".

"But, why"? Brooke asked. "What did you expect to happen"?

"Honestly, I thought you would tell me you weren't in love with me and I would finally be able to move on".

Brooke stepped back as she slowly digested his words running her fingers across her own neck. "I'm sorry—I can't do that either".

Lucas felt his breath catch in his throat, he couldn't tell if she had just told him she loved him or not. He didn't know what she had said, but he also knew asking was up for debate right now.

"I have to—I have to go," Brooke said dashing out the door.

But, she didn't walk out alone. Lucas followed her.

"Brooke—Wait," Lucas said as she approached her car.

"What"? Brooke asked turning around.

"I understand the timing is bad—and I don't expect to put all this history behind us in a night and with everything going on with Peyton—I get it. We can't just rush into anything—".

"Rush into anything? Luke, I can't be with you" Brooke said her voice breaking.

"But, you will be—not today and probably not tomorrow but you will be".

"What makes you so sure"?

"Because, I'm the guy for you Brooke Davis, I always have been and I always will be".

Lucas walked towards Brooke, and for a second she thought he was going to kiss her, which he thought about but at the risk of getting a black eye, he didn't. He simply leaned down and opened her car door for her.

"Except," Lucas said. "This time I'm older and more mature, I'm not some dumb teenager, I know what I want and what I want is you and me. I won't screw it up, again. I have waited seventeen years, I don't care to wait a little longer".

Lucas didn't know what came over him, or where he got the courage to say such things—to Brooke, but he did.

And for the first time in her life, Brooke Davis was speechless.

* * *

Madison wasn't sure what she was sitting on, she assumed it was the trim that the lifeguards used to look out on. She could still hear her shaky breathing as she laid her head against the wall next to her.

When she looked up she saw Jamie, leaning against the wall across from her—panting. He was still shirtless, not that she minded, his pants hanging around his hips barely, still unbuttoned and unzipped but it didn't seem to bother him as he worked on stabilizing his breathing.

If he was being honest, Jamie could barely stand so he wasn't focused on anything, but her. It was the only thing reeling him back in from their rendezvous.

Madison listened closely as his breathing slowed, and when she stopped hearing his deep, quick breathes she looked up at him once more. This time she saw him zipping his jeans, and buttoning them—his head still leaned back against the wall—eyes shut tightly.

When Jamie opened his eyes he saw Madison looking up at him, biting down on her lip—which made him want to do nothing but go for round two, but Jamie didn't have the energy. He walked over, grabbing his shirt that was next to her and put it back on.

"It's kind of funny" Madison said, as Jamie went to leave.

"What is"? He asked without turning to look at her.

"We finally have sex then we break up and now I'm your booty call its—".

"Booty call"? Jamie asked, turning back around. "What in the hell are you talking about"?

"Well, What do you call it"?

Jamie could only see Madison from the moonlight shining in on them, but he could tell that despite her use of the word "funny" she was being serious. He wasn't sure what came over him, the anger—the drinking, a mixture of both.

"You really think that low of me"? Jamie yelled at her. "That I would use you—for sex? Are you serious? If I wanted a damn booty call, as you so elegantly put it, I would have just screwed Sasha! Or Felicia. Or Tara. There is a whole group of girls at the party I could have hooked up with if I wanted a booty call if I just wanted sex".

"Then what the hell was it"? Madison asked jumping down and beginning to dress.

"I wanted to be with you—I just wanted to be with you"! Jamie said his voice breaking. "Kiss you, touch you—I wanted you. I just spent an hour with you because I still love you. I still want to be with you, and marry you one day, and make babies with you, I want to travel the world and make it to the NBA with you by my side, but I am so pissed off at you that I can't make those promises right now like I could a week ago. You are my whole damn world—but you, damn it, Maddie, you made a decision about our relationship before we even got the verdict if you were leaving or not—"

"No, Jamie I—".

"What? You didn't say it"? Jamie asked, his voice breaking—tears falling down his eyes. "I was there, I heard you. I love you, but I can't be with you—maybe this was a bad idea".

"No," Madison said walking over to him. "It wasn't," she told him wrapping her hands around his neck. "I just—I thought—you were drunk and—".

"Maddie, even if I'm drunk I would never be with anyone else. I have had sex twice in my life and both times have been with you, even if we don't get back together I don't plan on that changing".

"You want to get back together"?

"I want to be with you, yes, but I can't," Jamie told her. "I want to be with someone who wants to be with me as much as I want to be with them—not just someone who wants to make sure I'm their first".

"Jamie, stop"! Madison pleaded running her hands down into his shirt. "Don't do this, don't—you don't understand. I didn't mean it that way".

"But, you said it, Maddie—I have to go".

Jamie pulled out of Madison's embrace and left, he made his way down the beach, not far from the party before he officially broke down. Praying to God no one saw him. He let his hands lock behind his head as the tears fell down his face.

But, he wasn't the only one crying over the failed relationship. Madison was right where he left her, curled up on the floor tears rolling down her cheeks.

Maybe the would get back together, one day. They both hoped. But, they both knew tonight wasn't that night.

* * *

Nathan walked down the stairs, and as he walked into the living room he found his wife curled up on the couch with a large glass of wine, flipping through an old photo album. He was shocked they had any left, he was certain they digitized everything.

He walked up behind his wife, assuming it was pictures of their son she was looking at—but was stunned when he looked over her shoulders. It was pictures of them, their friends—from high school. Nathan leaned over the couch and smiled at the picture of him and his wife, at what looked to be a party—each with a red solo cup in their hand, and both looked highly intoxicated.

"Seems like a lifetime ago," Haley said, as she sipped on her wine. "Do you even remember what party we are at"?

"I believe that was right after we got married," Nathan told her. "Before you left for tour with Chris, I couldn't tell you where though. You were so hot".

"What do you mean, was"?

"Did I say was"? Nathan asked rolling his eyes. "I meant you are, you were hot there—hot now, you have this crazy, sexy milf thing going on".

Haley giggled as she felt her husband press his lips to her neck as he stood behind her. He hopped over the back of the couch, proving that his muscles have not aged since the picture they were admiring was taken all those years ago.

"Why don't you come to bed"? Nathan asked leaning over to kiss his wife.

Haley kissed her husband, but only for a second. "I will when Jamie is home," she told him.

"Hales—his curfew isn't for another couple of hours".

"Which was your idea" Haley reminded him. "Letting our son stay out—as late as one in the morning. I can't believe you did that".

"Haley, I understand not being able to trust him—but why can't you trust me"?

"Right, because you were such a role model teenager," Haley said, sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"I'm trying to teach him, responsibility—Haley, we have a year and a half, not even two years before he is eighteen. I would rather spend that time guiding him and helping him make choices versus fighting with him and trying to keep him locked up. I want him to come to me when he has a problem so I can help him".

"You're his father not his friend".

"Then let's hear the rules you want to set for him".

Haley closed the scrapbook in her hand and turned to look at Nathan. "Okay, curfew—ten. No parties, no drinking—anything below an A would result in the suspension of basketball until it's raised. No girls in his room, Madison or anyone. If he has company of the opposite sex, they are to be down here where we can watch them—if he goes over to someone's house we have to speak to their parents and—".

"Would you like their social security number, too"?

"You're not funny".

"I'm not trying to be, those rules are ridiculous—those are probably the same rules that Miley Cyrus had before she couldn't be tamed".

"Why don't you go to bed"?

"No," Nathan said, crossing his arms as he sat back. "I'm going to be right here when Jamie walks through that door, on time".

"Well, I'm going to be right here when he is late".

"Why are you set on him failing"?

"Why would you let him stay out so late"?

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Why do you keep bringing that up"?

"Because one week you're grounding him and being hard on him for something and the next you let him do whatever—".

"Because, I'm trying to trust him and teach him, yes—when he disobeys and goes behind our back he deserves to be punished but—".

"You're saying it's okay for him to go out and drink and have sex".

"I'm not saying that it's alright, but he is going to do it regardless, he is sixteen. I just want him to come to me when—".

Nathan's phone began buzzing, he stopped and pulled it out of his pocket.

"Jamie"? Nathan asked pushing the phone to his ear.

Haley watched as her husband walked across the room with the phone pushed to his ear.

"What's the address"? She heard her husband ask. "Okay, I will be there in twenty minutes. Love ya".

"Is he okay"? Haley asked jumping up as her husband hung up from his phone call.

"Yeah," Nathan told her. "I just have to go get him".

"Go—what's wrong with his car".

Nathan slid his shoes on and then turned around "he has had too much to drink, and called me to come get him".

"Oh, you two planned that".

"No," Nathan said shaking his head. "Call him yourself, talk to him—".

"I'll go with you".

"No," Nathan said holding his hand up before she could take a step further. "Haley, I love you but you going and scolding him will do nothing but things worse and next time he might not call and try to drive home".

"There won't be a next time, he is grounded"

"No, he isn't," Nathan said. "He is a teenager who went out and drank, and realized he couldn't and shouldn't drive home, so he called me—his father, a responsible adult to come get him. He made a responsible decision after he spent a night out. He isn't grounded. I have to go get our son. I love you".

Haley stood with her arms crossed as her husband kissed her on the cheek on and walked out of their house.

* * *

Peyton stepped out of Jake's car, as he held the door open for her—which for some reason made her blush. She watched as he shut the door before taking her hand, and the two walked hand in hand up the walkway to her front door.

"I can't remember a time I have had so much fun," Peyton told him, the alcohol from the wine she had earlier that night affecting her balance, but only slightly.

Jake saw her small stumble and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Really"? He asked. "I thought last weekend was pretty fun—I have never been locked out of a car for three hours before".

Peyton laughed. "Oh, yeah. That was big fun, nowhere to sit or anything".

"I told Jenny, she didn't believe me".

"I don't blame her, I still don't believe it".

The two approached Peyton's door and stood outside, the blonde turned to face Jake. She hated for her their evening to end here, but she knew it had to.

"I cheated on Lucas" the words fell out of Peyton's mouth like vomit. "I slept with another man, a couple of months ago—it's a long story".

"I'm not here to judge your past, Peyton" Jake said cupping the side of her cheek. "We all have things we aren't proud of, I know I do".

Peyton looked up at Jake who was now less than a centimeter away from her.

"I know," Peyton said, biting down on her lip. "I want to invite you inside, but—my marriage isn't legally over yet. Almost, but we aren't there yet and I can't sleep with two different men while I'm still married. I need to one day look at Sawyer and tell her that you and I didn't start until after I divorced her father, I don't want her to ever have bad feelings towards you".

"So, you see this going past the front door"? Jake asked, smiling.

"Do you"?

"My biggest regret has always been walking away from you, Peyton. But, you do realize if you wanted to invite me in you can—it doesn't have to end in sex. I'm pretty happy with just being with you".

Peyton smiled before she turned and unlocked the door. The two walked into her house, shutting the world out behind them.

"Wine"? Peyton asked as she walked into the kitchen. "I also have some other things—Jack Daniels, Hennessy, Vodka—".

"Are we at Tric"?

Peyton threw her head back laughing at his comment as she made her way towards the liquor cabinet. She poured the two each a glass of whatever she grabbed first and they made their way to the couch, sipping on their drinks.

"Jenny is going to come to visit for fall break—it's in a couple of weeks," Jake said looking at her. "Would you like to go out to dinner with me and her? If it helps—she changes her own diapers now".

Peyton laughed, once again as she stretched her feet out across Jake's lap.

"I would love to—maybe I could bring Sawyer"?

"Jenny would love that, she loves kids".

Peyton felt Jake running his hand across her small ankles.

"So, it's a date—you, me, and our spawns"? Jake asked, smiling.

"It's a date".

* * *

Deb blinked her sleepy eyes, she wasn't sure what woke her—she looked up to find the same hospital settings she had been looking at ever since she found out Keith had returned. She sat up, having been asleep on her folded arms in Keith's hospital bed.

The room around her was still blurry, she rubbed her eyes as she yawned—assuming it was her bent over posture that woke her. She lowered her arms and looked around, her eyes eventually landing on—

"Keith"? Deb said, as she looked into they eyes of her former brother in law. "Oh, my god—you're awake".

Deb didn't give him a chance to respond, she rushed out of his hospital room.

"I need a doctor" she told the first nurse she seen. "He is awake—he is awake".

The nurse, knowing who she was talking about—as most of the staff did, took off running down the hall in search for a doctor.

Keith's Doctor. A doctor. Any doctor.

* * *

Mouth paced back and forth in his living room, his arms folded—glancing out the window at the sight of every set of headlights, but they all passed by his house.

He waited in the living room.

On the couch.

On the chair.

Walking.

He was stretched out on the loveseat reading a magazine when Millicent walked downstairs, her frizzy hair pulled off to the side.

"What are you doing up"? Millie asked, her voice low and hoarse.

"I could ask you the same thing" Mouth replies, refusing to admit the reason he was sitting downstairs instead of asleep in their bedroom.

"Jimmie wants some juice," she told him not really acknowledging any of her surroundings through her half-closed eyes.

Mouth thought he dodged the conversation as his wife went into the kitchen when she returned she held a small cup in her hand filled with juice, this time looking more alert.

"Are you waiting for Lucy"? Millie asked tilting her head to the side, already knowing the answer.

Mouth let out a long deep breath. "Yes," he said nodding. "I tried calling her but it keeps going straight to voicemail, so I tried Andre—voicemail. Jamie—voicemail. I don't even know where she is or the address— you were right. Okay? You were right, I'm getting worried".

"Okay," Millie said walking over sitting next to her husband. "This isn't about who is right and who is wrong, she is fifteen—almost sixteen, she is going to want to go to parties but you have to make sure that you get information. Where are you going? What time will you be home? Who will you be with—".

"Not who will be there"?

"No," Millie told him. "It's a party, she can't predict who all is going to show up but she is with Andre—his curfew is two or three, Skills isn't so strict on him because that's not his child. That's why I knew you would stress out".

"And you didn't say anything"? Mouth asked.

"She isn't my child, I don't know what my place is with Lucy".

"You're her stepmom" Mouth said.

"I know but what does that entail Marvin"? Millie asked. "If you're not home and something happens, do I have authority to ground her? Do I wait until you get home—"?

"It looks like we are both learning".

"It looks that way—it also looks like she is home".

* * *

Jamie shut the passenger door of his dad's car, pulling the seat belt around him.

"You okay"? Nathan asked looking at his son.

Jamie simply nodded, running his fingers through his hair.

"Where are your car keys"? Nathan asked.

"I gave them to Lily—she is driving it home, Chuck is picking her up there. They neither one drank".

Nathan nodded before starting the engine to his car and driving away from the party, making his way towards the house but halfway there he pulled off the road, parking next to a sidewalk.

"What are we doing"? Jamie asked, looking around—realizing they were not at home.

"I just want to talk to you while we are alone".

"Dad, I don't really feel like listening to a long lecture".

"This isn't like that" Nathan told his son, as he turned to face his son, Jamie didn't turn his whole body as Nathan did but he did turn his neck looking at his dad. "I want you to know, I'm so proud of you tonight. You didn't try to drive home or ride with someone else who shouldn't be driving, you called me—I'm so proud of that. I don't want you to ever be scared to call me, any day or any time. As long as you pick up your phone, you will never hear a word out of me".

Jamie half-smiled. "But, What about mom"?

Nathan let out a long sigh. "You're mom is having a hard time—she is really struggling, Jamie. You're not a kid anymore and that scares her to death, one day she is fine and the next she isn't. I will deal with your mom, she just doesn't want you to grow up".

"And you do"?

"No, of course not, if I had my way we would go back in time to when you was about three—that was my favorite age with you," Nathan told him, smiling at the memory. "You would come in and jump on the bed every morning, jumping on my back to wake me up—".

"I can still do that".

Nathan scoffed. "I already have a bad back, I don't need to be permanently paralyzed if I can help it".

Jamie chuckled "just thought I would offer".

"Anyways, I just want you to know—I'm here. I am not going to judge you for anything, but if you ever need to talk about anything I'm here" Nathan told his son. "I don't want to have a relationship with you like I had with Dan before he shot Keith. I want you to feel like you can come to me about anything. Okay"?

Jamie nodded, as he twirled a loose string from the large hole in his jeans around his finger—it was pretty clear that he did have something he wanted to talk to his dad about. However, Nathan wasn't going to pressure him into spitting it out—and he didn't need to.

"Maddie and I—we had sex dad".

"I assumed," Nathan told him.

"I mean tonight—we did before we split up, but we had sex tonight," Jamie said.

"Break up sex"?

"I guess—I don't know," Jamie told his dad shrugging. "People talk about break up sex like it's this hot and sexy, amazing thing—which it was, amazing. But, walking away from her tonight—dad, it was so hard. I love her so much—but she broke my heart, I can't even—I don't know, I sound like a wimp".

"You're not a wimp," Nathan told him. "When I first met your mom I was so attracted to her, once you set aside the whole just pissing Luke off part of the story. But, I don't know—she wasn't my type. Well, it's not that she wasn't my type, she was tutor girl and I was a giant—".

"Dick"?

Nathan chuckled. "Yeah," he told his son. "Basically," he said shaking his head at the memory. "But, the guys I hung around didn't see me with someone like her, I didn't want anyone to know. I wasn't good at showing my feelings, at all. I don't ever want you to be like that James, I don't ever want you to feel like crying makes you any less of a man because it doesn't—something your mom taught me. You have feelings, I do too, just like women—I don't want to raise you to feel like you can't show them".

Jamie looked over at his dad, tears falling down his eyes—for the second time in one night.

Thankful for the words his father said.

"When your mom and split up in high school—I cried. A lot".

"You and mom split up"? Jamie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Our relationship has been on the line more than once but we have always been stronger than our circumstances," Nathan said. "There was a time I didn't think we would ever be together again—but your mom did. She always knew".

* * *

Brooke sat in her bed, unable to sleep, unable to do anything but think of Lucas. Not that she wanted to, she wanted to county sheep and think of herself and have beautiful dreams of being rich and successful and beautiful—oh, wait. She was already all those things.

"Hey" Brooke heard and looked up to see Madison standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Hey," Brooke said, smiling. "You okay"?

Madison didn't need to answer that, her foster mom already knew the answer. Brooke patted the spot next to her on her bed, and the teenager slowly made her way across the room and curled up in the bed—laying her head on Brooke's lap.

"What are you doing"? Madison asked, looking up at Brooke.

"Some sketches—I'm working on a new line".

"What is it"?

"I don't really know yet," Brooke said, laughing. "I have made a few things, but I'm all over the place. I just need something new—don't get me wrong, I love designing baby clothes, but it doesn't give me that feeling I got when I first started to design clothes, I wasn't much older than you I got my start".

"So, maybe that's where you start"? Madison asked. "You go back to the start—on everything, not just the clothes".

Brooke looked down at the teenager, who was nervously biting on her nails.

"Is this about Luke"? Brooke asked, though she already knew the answer. "Maddie, you have enough on your plate without worrying about that—that is so complicated".

"So," Madison said sitting up. "What relationship isn't complicated"?

She had a point, but Brooke wasn't going to acknowledge that out loud.

"I see the way you look at him, Brooke—the way he looks at you—".

"He was married to my best friend for ten years, they spent years together before that".

"But, do you love him"?

Brooke stopped sketching, as Madison sat up turning to face her. It was the one answer she could deny to everyone, but herself.

"If you promise to keep a secret," Brooke said pointing at Madison, who quickly nodded. "I do love him, but—oh, Maddie—it's more than that. He hurt me, twice, he cheated on me and—".

"When he was my age that was what, a hundred years ago".

"Hey"! Brooke said, gently smacking the teenager with the sketch pad in her hand. The two laughed, for a second but it died down. "I get it, what you're saying makes complete sense. We were young but it still doesn't change the fact that he was married to my best friend and I feel like I would be cheating on her".

"What did she say"?

"I don't know" Brooke admitted. "I haven't talked to her, but she is the one who supposedly pushed Luke into telling me—".

"Then she might be fine with it," Madison told Brooke. "So, just talk to her—ask her".

"Even if she said yes, how do I know she would really be okay with it"?

"Best friends are the one person in this world that is supposed, to be honest with you," Madison told her. "They are supposed to tell you if a dress makes you look fat or if your new weave just isn't working, or if you have had too much, so if she says yes and she isn't really okay with it then she isn't your best friend, and then it's okay anyway".

"I don't even know if I'm ready to date," Brooke told her leaning against the headboard. "Julian hasn't been gone—".

"Brooke, eventually you're going to run out of excuses," Madison told her. "Sometimes some people need to fall apart to fall back together, and be better than ever".

Brooke looked at Madison and pushed a long strand of hair behind her ear. "Does that apply for you and Jamie"?

"I hope," Madison said, a small tear running down her cheek. "I am staying hopeful, he still hasn't changed his relationship status to single, so that's good right"?

"I think so," Brooke told her. "Social media wasn't as big when I was a teenager, but I think that's a good sign".

Brooke took her hands and laid them each on the sides of Madison's face, brushing her tears away with her thumbs. "Jamie is a teenaged boy, but he isn't an idiot. Just give it time".

"I don't want time," Madison said, her voice breaking. "I just want him, and that's it".

"Have you told him"?

Before Madison had a chance to answer the phone began to ring, they both looked over at Brooke's cell phone that was on her nightstand—lit up.

"Who in the hell is calling me at this hour"? Brooke asked leaning over as she grabbed her phone. "Deb"? She asked pushing it to her ear. "I'm awake—Wait, What? He is? I'll go get him".

Brooke hung her phone up and jumped out of her bed. "I have to go Luke's, Deb can't get a hold of him or Lily, and Keith is awake".

"And she called you"? Madison asked looking up at Brooke smiling.

Brooke rolled her eyes "try Lily, I will be a phone call away if you need me".

"Thanks," Madison said.

Brooke was at the door when Madison spoke, and she turned around. "For what"?

"For everything".

* * *

Haley felt her husbands arms wrap tightly around her waist, as he slid into bed behind her. She felt him plant a small, soft kiss against her neck, she wanted to be angry with him—but the more he kissed on her neck, the more difficult it becomes.

"You make it incredibly hard to stay mad at you," Haley said laying the back of her head against Nathan.

"That's part of my charm" Nathan whispered into her ear. "I don't want to fight, Hales. I just want to do what's best for Jamie—long term".

"And you think allowing him to drink and have sex is best for him—long term"?

It was a genuine question, it was the first time over the course of the long night that Nathan didn't hear any hostility in her voice.

"I'm not saying that it's like I said before—he will do those things regardless," Nathan told his wife as she rolled on her back, to look up at him. "I just want him to feel comfortable enough to talk to us about it when he has questions".

"I just—it's weird. I was seventeen when we got married, losing my virginity was a big deal for me—".

"I know, I was there".

"You and your porn" Haley teased him with a smile. "He is just a year younger than I was when we got married—but somewhere along the way in my mind that got lost in translation. I know how old he is, I know he is a teenager—who had a long term girlfriend—but to me, he is still just a little kid. And I just didn't even realize that it was a conversation yet".

"But, it is—it—it was".

"Was"?

Nathan nodded his head, looking down at his wife as they lay in the dark.

"So, he isn't a—"? Haley asked, but Nathan began slowly shaking his head before she could finish. "They had sex"?

"I'm going to talk to him some more in a day or two—when he isn't so, intoxicated".

Haley ran her hands down her face. "He is drinking and having sex, we can't let him think we support this".

"And we don't," Nathan told her. "I don't support my teenaged son going out and doing these things, but we have to let him make some of his own choices. He is old enough, we could make some strict rules and even put him on homeschool—then when he turns eighteen he is just going to run wild".

"What makes you so sure"?

"Let me ask you something—at your house, what were the rules growing up"?

"I didn't really have any—my parents trusted me," Haley said, letting out a long deep breath.

"Wasn't that the same thing you were preaching to me a few months ago"? Nathan asked, and Haley didn't need to respond they both knew the answer. "What about the rest of your siblings"? Nathan then asked before Haley had the chance to plot his death.

"Quinn had rules but Taylor—they were strict on her. But, they had to be—she started partying too much and had a new boyfriend every week and—".

"Do you think if your parents gave her a little bit more room things would have been different"?

Haley thought about it, she thought about all the times her older sister came in drunk and the fights that took place after. She thought about all the boys she brought home to their displeased parents, she thought and she thought but she hated the answer.

Before Haley had the chance to answer him, they both heard Nathan's phone ringing. He picked it up out of his pocket, curious who was calling him so late.

"Mom"? Nathan asked pressing the phone to his ear. "Yeah... he is? We will be right there" Nathan said and jumped out of the bed quickly. "Keith is awake".

* * *

Deb stood in the corner softly biting on her thumb as she watched the doctor examine Keith, who had yet to speak. First, he made him follow the light from a flashlight so small Deb didn't understand its existence. Then he moved on to his feet and reflexes, which checked out just fine. Now, the doctor was having him squeeze each of his hands—although, she wasn't sure what the purpose of that was only that she saw it in all her favorite medical dramas.

"He looks good, physically" Doctor Lafferty told Deb standing up, looking at Keith. "Can you tell me your name"?

Keith, who still looked somewhat confused—looked around and nodded. He cleared his throat—and just the sound nearly made Deb fall to the ground.

"It's—it's—".

"Take your time, your voice has been out of use for a long time," Doctor Lafferty told Keith as he struggled to speak.

"Erm—Dan"? Keith guessed. "My—my name is Dan—right, babe"?

Deb looked up at Keith, who looked at her—and her heart sunk to the floor. She looked at the doctor who looked down at Keith worried, only for a second.

Keith broke into a wide smile and shrugged "I'm just screwing with, Keith Scott" he said reaching his hand out. "It's nice to meet you".

Deb didn't want to smile, because it was clear that the information of how he got here was either nonexistent or too fuzzy to remember any specifics, but she did. Deb smiled, and then she laughed.

"Anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on"?

* * *

**_A/N So, don't be mad, I know I promised to write this into ships but here is what happened, I sat down and started writing it and even FINISHED IT, then I absolutely hated it. It just looked dreadful, I even changed over half of this chapter, and I still am not happy with this chapter. _**

**_When writing the Naley sections I wanted to write it in a way that Nathan isn't encouraging his child to go out and drink, but also write it in a way that he is understanding to it. When you look back on season one Nathan, and season nine Nathan, he isn't even the same person. So, I hope that I wrote it well but it's not something that I am happy with. _**

**_When it comes to Haley, part of her storyline is she is having trouble accepting that Jamie is growing up, and her and Nathan were raised in such different ways so when it comes to their teenaged son they parent in such different ways. But, good news... this storyline is pretty much over. (The bickering over how to parent). Now, we will move on to Haley's road to acceptance of Jamie. But, their is a much bigger storyline for Naley that will be revealed in the next couple chapters. _**

**_Brucas, so they had their confrontation and just because Brooke admitted she had feelings and is still in love with Luke, don't expect to much to happen out of that just yet. I had a guest review asking about if Lucas ever found out about Peyton telling Brooke that she had feelings for Luke. (I am going off of memory here) but I don't think that was ever addressed, and if it was then I overlooked it. I haven't watched season three in so long! But, they will have some interactions in the next chapter unrelationship related. Brooke is also working on a new fashion line, and guess what? I already know the name of it. It will be something she does with Maddie, who speaking of... might not be a Landry to much longer ;) _**

**_So, moving on to Jamie and Madison, don't give up hope on them just yet. I do think of them as the next generation "Naley", _**

**_As for Jake and Peyton... I'm really having trouble with a storyline for them. They had a big part in the chapter I wrote first but then it got to be too long. _**

**_But, to end it all... Keith is back! Are you excited? Or sad, because Karen isn't there to welcome him back? _**

**_Thanks for all the reviews and follows, it means a lot to me! Keep it up! I try to answer all questions, and address everything I can in my chapters. _**

**_But, again sorry this chapter wasn't my best work but I just couldn't write it for a third time. _**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I only own the storylines, all rights go to their rightful owners.**_

**_This isn't a long chapter like you are probably used to, it's more of just a filler chapter._**

* * *

Three hours of sleep, two gallons of water, a large number of little white pills... and Jamie's head was still bursting. He wanted to be at home—in the bed, under the covers. But, he wasn't, currently, the teenager was walking into the only hospital in Tree Hill.

He didn't know Keith, had never met him—but he did know Lucas and Lily, and despite the current hangover he was experiencing he knew he had to be here.

Jamie caught a glimpse of himself through one of the large windows as he walked down the long hallway, normally he never left the house without a pair of jeans on or something that made him halfway preventable. But, today he wore one of the many shirts he had bought at a footlocker, a pair of jogger pants, and shoes whiter than the floor.

He barely recognized himself as he strolled, and apparently same went for his family as he cut around the corner to find most of his relatives sitting in a waiting room.

"How is he"? Jamie asked immediately as he approached his parents who sat next to Lucas.

The sound of Jamie's hoarse voice made his family jump.

"Erm—they are running tests," Lucas said as Jamie sat down across from them. "We haven't even got to see him, Deb is with him. They are running brain scans, I mean you name it they are back there doing it".

"Just out of curiosity who made the judgment call that nanny Deb was the best person to have back there with him"?

"The doctors," Nathan told his son. "She was there when he woke up, she is a familiar face—they haven't told him anything yet. As of right now he is in good spirits and joking, happy—so until they have an idea of how he might respond she is his support companion".

"So, he doesn't know about Karen—or Lily"?

Lucas shook his head. "I tried Lily, but she didn't answer. Did you see her last night at that party"?

"I did," Jamie said. "She threatened to feed my balls to a dog—I believe her exact words where... you know, the kind that foams from the mouth".

Lucas's eyes grew wide at the threat his sister had handed to his nephew.

"I'm going to go get some coffee," Haley said, standing up—her exhaustion getting the best of her.

Haley walked away leaving the three Scott men alone.

"How do you think uncle Keith is going to act once he finds out what happens—".

"Brooke"? Lucas asked.

Jamie quickly turned around to find Brooke walking in carrying a to-go tray with coffee mugs, with Madison next to her carrying a large square box from the café. He immediately felt nauseous at the sight of his ex, especially after their festivities from the previous night.

"We brought coffee and donuts," Brooke said as they sat them down on the table.

"Thanks," Lucas said, awkwardly looking up at Brooke.

"It's no problem, the food and drinks here are horrible. I have had quite a few cups of coffee from this hospital, ironically they seem to get worse with the years instead of better" Brooke said as she sat down next to Lucas. "Don't look at me like that, I'm here for Keith not you".

"What about the kids"? Nathan asked. "I thought you stayed at Luke's with them"?

"I did until Peyton got there," Brooke said. "She and Jake are going to keep them entertained for the day".

Madison slowly, awkwardly—and unsurely sat in the seat next to Jamie. She didn't bother looking up at him, but if she had she would have caught him starring at her.

But, she didn't—so she didn't.

"We are still waiting on news," Lucas told Brooke looking at her. "I—erm, Deb texted Nathan around seven but we haven't heard since".

"I'm sure it takes time," Brooke told him, as she sipped on her coffee.

Nathan looked from Brooke and Lucas to his son and his former girlfriend. Jamie was quickly reaching stalker status the way he was looking at the back of Madison's head who sat next to him, flipping through a magazine.

Brooke has her eyes on the television up in the corner, though he couldn't be sure she was actually watching the show that was playing. Lucas, however, seemed to be worse than the teenager as he looked at his old high school girlfriend, just don't ever tell Brooke that the word "old" was used in a sentence about her.

"Brooke, hey when did you get here"? Haley asked as she rejoined the group that had grown significantly since she left.

"Just a few minutes ago," Brooke told her.

"Did I miss anything"? Haley asked Nathan as she sat next to him.

"You could say that" Nathan snickered.

Haley looked at her husband, slightly confused—at first. She looked back and forth between the two former couples, and it instantly clicked.

"This is going to be good," Haley said, sitting back into her seat.

* * *

"C'mon, Deb—the doctors aren't in here" Keith pleaded. "Just tell me what the hell is going on".

Deb rolled her eyes her ex-brother-in-law, she looked down at him as he laid on that sat outside the large machine that was going to take Magnetic resonance imaging, also known as an MRI.

"Okay, I will give you a little hint" Deb said smiling as she leaned down close to Keith. "Do you see that big dark window over there, by the door"?

"Yeah"?

"That's where your doctors are and they can see and hear everything" Deb teased him.

"You know how badly I hate not knowing what is going on".

"So you have said" Deb groaned. "Repeatedly, numerously, and to any hospital staff that you have came into contact with".

"Not everyone".

"Keith, you told the janitor and demanded he get you out of here".

"He looked like a stand up fella" Keith said shrugging. "And I hate hospitals. And hospital gowns—I am naked under this robe".

"Maybe that's why they brought you down here, to take a picture of little Keith".

Keith looked up at Deb who was adjusting the small white sheet they did allow him to keep wrapped around him, although it felt more like paper than a blanket. She was teasing him, laughing and smiling, she wasn't the Deb he remembered.

All Keith knew was that he was in a hospital and had been in an accident, he had heard the words brain injury and coma passed around a few hundred times but the rest was a mystery. Although, Keith owned an auto mechanic shop he had never been stupid, it wasn't taking him long to piece together one bit of information after another.

Some time had passed, and at first he thought it had been a week or a month, maybe a few at most but he couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps his first initial thought had been wrong.

"Deb" Keith said taking her hand to stop her from adjusting his blanket. "How long has it been"?

Deb looked up at him, slowly, as if for the first time she didn't want to since he had first opened his eyes. But, she wouldn't admit that out-loud.

"Keith—".

"The Botox isn't working" Keith told her with a hint of a smile. "I can tell it's been a while just by looking at your crows feet—how long has it been"?

"Alright, Mr. Scott are you ready"? A nurse said stepping into the room. "Miss. Lee—if you could step outside".

Saved by the bell. Or the nurse.

Deb have Keith a soft squeeze on his hand, before she followed the nurse outside and into the small room where the doctors sat.

"He is very persistent isn't he"? Doctor Lafferty asked as he looked up at Deb.

"Yes, and we can't—I can't keep lying to him so I hope by the time he comes out you have a plan" Deb told him, harshly.

"We have to make sure he can handle it—hearing that kind of news could put him under a great deal of stress".

"He is going to start asking for Karen, I'm surprised he hasn't already" Deb told the doctor. "He has a teenaged daughter and has spent the better part of two decades lying in a coma—figure out some damn answers because I won't keep lying to him".

"You're not lying to him" Doctor Lafferty told her as he slowly stood up. "You're simply not giving him all the pieces to the puzzle right now, which medically speaking is in his best interest".

"Medically speaking getting out of my face is in your best interest".

* * *

"Will we get to see Uncle Keith"? Sawyer asked excitedly as she walked through the car garage looking back at her mother, and the man who was holding her hand.

"I don't think you will get to see him today," Peyton told her daughter.

"But, why not"? Lydia asked tugging on her soon to be former aunts arm.

"Well, because he is just waking up and—".

"From a nap"? Davis asked as he ran around Peyton and Jake in circles, as they continued to walks.

"Sort of like a nap" Peyton explained to them. "But, not really".

Jake chuckled at the blonde he was walking next to as she struggled to answer the many children's questions, but he could easily tell this wasn't her first go-around with the kids.

"If Keith can come back from the dead does that mean our daddy can, too"? Jude asked.

And suddenly it wasn't so funny anymore.

Peyton and Jake froze as they looked at the twin who was standing just a few feet in front of them.

Peyton had dropped Jake's hand and she pushed her palms together, pressing the tips of her index fingers to her lips. She knew how the difficult time Jude had with his father's death.

"Okay," Peyton said kneeling down in front of the child that had asked the question, secretly wishing he had asked his mother, but grateful at the same time he hadn't. "When I was a little girl... not much older than you were when your daddy died, my mommy died".

"I thought she died when you were a teenager," Sawyer said, tilting her head.

"That was my birth mother, I was adopted when I was born by Larry and Anna, she was my mother. She raised me—built forts with me in the living room, hosted the best slumber parties—when I was little she died. I used to close my eyes really tight and pray and pray she would come waltzing through the door. But, she didn't. Jude, losing a parent so young—out of everything I have been through in my life was certainly the hardest. But, the circumstances between Keith and Julian were and are very different".

"But, Keith is Lily's dad, right"? Jude asked arching an eyebrow. "So, it's possible"?

Peyton slowly shook her head. "No, honey," she said brushing her fingers across his cheeks. "It's not possible, Keith never really died. Your daddy did, your mom was standing right in front of him when it happened. I know that this is so confusing for you, I really do. If I could bring your daddy back for you and your brother and your mom, I would. In a heartbeat, but I can't".

"So, he will never come back"? Jude asked.

Once again Peyton was forced to shake her head, slowly, as though she didn't want to answer him.

Because she didn't.

"I can share my daddy with you," Sawyer said softly stepping forward. "But, I have to warn you he is a mess right now".

Peyton couldn't help but crack a small smile at her daughter.

"But, he makes the best double chocolate brownies with nuts ever—but it's also all he knows how to cook," Sawyer told Jude.

"I like brownies," Jude told her. "Davis is allergic to nuts, though".

"I'm sure Luke would have no problem taking the nuts out," Jake told the little boy.

"And I'm lactose intolerant".

"So, you make it with almond milk," Jake said throwing his hands to the side making the kids giggle. "I know I only just met you, and no one can ever take the place of your dad, but from the looks of it you have enough men in your life and more than enough people who love you".

"I guess your right".

"Oh, I am," Jake said kneeling down next to Peyton. "Your dad may not be able to teach you how to play ball, or help you study, or teach you to drive but you won't miss out".

"Does that mean you can teach me to drive"?

"Erm—sure," Jake told him. "If you want me, too. One day. About ten years from now".

"In the comet"?

"Keep dreaming" Peyton said smiling pointing her finger at him. "No one touches my car".

* * *

Haley could feel the small strokes Nathan was making up and down her back, as she had her feet tucked beneath her with her head resting on his shoulder.

The couple sat in the waiting room, that had been prayer on Sunday in Church quiet since Brooke and Madison arrived. But, that was about to end when Haley looked up to see her daughter running side by side with her cousin, and the twins—Jake and Peyton following closely behind.

"Daddy," Lydia said diving knees first into her father's lap.

"Oh," Nathan groaned as his daughter hit his most prized possessions earning a small snicker from everyone around. "Hey there princess" he managed to stiffen out of his mouth.

"How is Keith"? Jake asked as he sat down.

"Still running tests" Lucas told him. "For now that's all we know until the doctors come out or Deb texts something".

"Sawyer wanted to come to be here for you," Peyton told her soon to be ex-husband as she sat next to Jake. "So, once they all woke up we decided to come—I hope that's okay".

"Of course that's okay," Lucas said tickling his daughter on her sides earning a small squeal. "Thanks for coming," he told Peyton and Jake.

"Jake has a big car"! Sawyer told her dad. "It's huge and you should hear his stereo system".

"What do you know about a stereo system"? Lucas asked his daughter.

"More than you—yours is simply dreadful".

"Remind me why mom wanted to hire that tutor in England to help her speak"? Lucas asked Peyton.

"I have no idea," Peyton said shrugging. "She talks like a cross between Emily Blunt and Whoa Vicki".

Sawyer looked at her mother, unamused, which only made Peyton laugh harder.

"I'm starving," Haley said stretching sitting up straight. "I'm going to go see if the cafeteria has anything".

"I will go with you," Brooke said as the two stood up.

Peyton didn't mind staying with the guys but it became clear as Brooke passed her that she was not staying. Brooke grabbed Peyton by her elbow and drug her along with her.

"Ow," Peyton complained as the three turned a corner. "What was that for"?

"Did you tell your husband it would be a good idea to confess his undying love for me"? Brooke snapped. "What kind of wife are you"?

"The kind that is shacking up with the new guy," Haley said smiling.

"I'm not having sex with Jake and do we really have to talk about this here"? Peyton asked.

"Of course not," Brooke told her. "But, don't think for five seconds we aren't going to talk to about this".

* * *

"That's great, baby" Nathan told his daughter as she and Sawyer danced in the middle of the waiting room.

"The talent show is in a few weeks and we are going to dance"! Lydia said proudly. "But, we can't come up with a—what's it called"?

"A routine" Sawyer said. "We always just wing it".

"I can help you," Madison told them.

"But, you play basketball"! Lydia told her.

"Yes" Madison said. "But, before that, I was in ballet and a dance studio. I won a few solos, state championships before I completely converted to basketball".

Madison stood up and walked over before playing a small tune off of her phone. "Try this".

The three girls danced for a few minutes until Lydia and Sawyer got the hang of what it was that Madison was teaching them. The four men in the room weren't really paying attention to anything but their phones, Nathan and Lucas would glance up every few seconds to make sure none of the kids had run off but none of them were the least bit interested in the dancing the three girls were engaging in.

Well, all except Jamie—who didn't take his eyes off of Madison for a split second.

"Wow, Maddie—you can really dance," Lydia told her older brothers, former girlfriend.

"It's them Latino hips," Jamie said standing up and walking past Madison whispering "they move around like a cyclone" low enough for only her to hear.

Madison watched, angrily, as Jamie walked away. She didn't know if it was a sex joke, or just a joke—or even if it was a joke. She didn't even know why she was mad, at first, but she was. She quickly excused herself and stormed off after Jamie.

Madison caught up with Jamie as he stepped inside the elevator.

"What the hell was that"? Madison asked walking up to Jamie as the doors shut behind her.

"What was what"?

"You can't break up with me and then have sex with me and then—you have to stop. You're making everything harder for me because I still love you".

"Do you really think I don't love you"?

"Let's recap—you took my virginity and then broke up with me—".

Jamie scoffed. "You really think that low of me"?

"You broke up with me over something I said before we ever had sex—".

Jamie wanted to punch a wall, he was a lot of things but he wasn't a pig. He knew that he thought she knew that but apparently, she didn't. That hurt.

"When you said that—at that time, I was so caught up in being with you. It didn't even hit me what you said until after we had sex, all I was thinking about was being with you" Jamie said his voice breaking. "All I wanted was you—to be with you, but after when we were laying there that's all that was going through my head. If I wanted to just lose my virginity I would have gone to someone like Sasha or—I didn't have sex with you just go have sex. How could you even think that of me"?

Madison paused, she didn't have an answer. Of course, that wasn't Jamie.

The blonde in front of her didn't wait for an answer instead he reached around and pressed a button to the garage floor. The elevator slowly started to move—Madison looked at Jamie the whole time until the elevator quickly halted and the lights shut off.

Madison didn't mean to let out a small scream but she did, and she felt two arms wrap around her waist.

"It's okay," Jamie told her. "It should come back on any second".

But, the didn't and they wouldn't.

* * *

"What the hell"? Brooke asked as she stood in the cafeteria of the hospital, in the dark.

The room was empty except for the three women and one cafeteria worker who looked just as confused as they were by the sudden power outage.

"I hate the dark—why is it dark"? Brooke demanded as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"We are with you—how would we know that"? Peyton asked putting her hands on her hips.

"The lights are off in the hall, too," Haley told the pair as she walked to the doors and pushed, but found the doors wouldn't budge. "They are locked".

"What do you mean they are locked"? Peyton asked as she walked over and pushed on the other side of the door. "We just walked in here".

"The lights are out in the town, too," Brooke said as she glanced out the windows.

"It's the middle of the day how can you tell"? Peyton asked.

"Well, most restaurants keep their lights on—what is going on"?

"I'm trying the front desk" the lady behind the counter informed the trio with the phone pressed to her ear.

* * *

"Doctor Lafferty"? Lucas asked looking up as he sat with his daughter in his lap, in the dark waiting room.

"Can you two come with me"? He asked.

He didn't need to be more clear, he meant Nathan and Lucas.

"Do you care to watch the kids"? Nathan asked looking at Jake. "The girls should be back any minute".

"Sure," Jake told him.

The brothers quickly stood up and followed the doctor through the hall.

"What the hell is going on"? Nathan asked the doctor in front of him as they made their way through the chaotic hall.

"There was a car accident, the car hit the electrical pole—all power is out for a few blocks," Doctor Lafferty told the brothers.

"Is everyone okay"?

Doctor Lafferty nodded. "They are sending them to the hospital in the next town over," he said. "But, they are awake and responsive—right now they are trying to safely evacuate them from their vehicle. We have another problem".

"Another—we"? Lucas asked, already uneasy about the conversation.

"We recently have a new system in the hospital, it's a good system if there ever was a lockdown situation. All the doors immediately lock, it's a safety precaution" Doctor Lafferty explained. "You have to flip a switch to secure all the rooms, when the electric kicked off that switch must have been flipped and we can't flip it back and unlock everything until the electricity comes back on".

"That means—"? Lucas asked.

"No one can go in and out of the hospital, any doors that were shut—are automatically locked we do have a couple of employees trying to pry some of these doors open but we have patients locked in their rooms right now—including your uncle".

"What"?

"Keith is inside the MRI machine, and there is a button that we can press on the machine that will help him exit the machine—but we have to get in the room first".

Lucas and Nathan stopped behind the doctor who was gesturing towards the room that two large men were currently attempting to open.

"Come in here," Doctor Lafferty told them.

The brothers followed him inside a small room where Deb sat behind a desk.

"We were lucky enough to have the door open," Doctor Lafferty told them. "We need you three to try to keep him calm—and whatever you do, don't shut that door, this red button will allow you to communicate with him".

Doctor Lafferty left in a haste, probably to tend to the chaos amongst the hospital.

Lucas leaned over and pressed the red button "Keith"?

"Luke"?

The sound of his uncle's voice after all these years nearly sent Lucas to the ground, but he settled for the seat next to Deb as Nathan stood firmly in front of the door so that it wouldn't close.

"How are you doing in there"?

"I'm not going to lie—I could really use a beer right about now".

Lucas smiled. "I'll see what we can do about that".

* * *

_**A/N so, this chapter is probably not the chapter I promised and it took forever to get out, I have been sick and in the hospital getting CAT scans and MRIs and being picked and prodded with needles. So, I am so sorry. **_

**_ I did make a mistake when discussing when Peyton told Brooke, so we will just blame that on it being almost 2 decades and Brooks mind. LOL. It has been so long since I watched those particular episodes it kind of all got confused in my mind. LOL. But, it has been 17 years in the story since that occurred and that's a really long time so, we will just blame the time on it. LOL._**

**_ Speaking of Brooke, maybe because she is my favorite character I put some of her treats into Lily, I never realize that until someone said it. That is so true. _**

**_ As for Jamie and Maddie, I hope I further explained their break it up better. Jamie is not the type of guy who would just have sex with a girl and then break up with her, especially Madison. He was very much caught up in their moment. _**

**_Nathan and Haley Do switch sides a lot, it really depends on what is at hand._**

**_ But, onto the next chapter because if I keep talking I'm going to get too much away. _**

**_Lily will show up, stuck in traffic _**

**_Jamie and Madison will be stuck in a elevator. _**

**_ The girls are stuck in the cafeteria, and there will be a few big talks with that. _**

**_ Jake will be with the kids. _**

**_Nathan, Lucas, and Deb will be with Keith. _**

**_ Again, so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out and it kind of trailed in another direction but being stuck in a hospital this came to my mind and wouldn't leave. ._**


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to anything but the storyline, all right just go to their rightful owners.**_

* * *

"Oh, my god—Chuck wake up"!

Chuck turned over in his bed, well the bed he had been staying in for weeks now at his best friends house. It was basically his bed—until he made up with his mom, which he didn't foresee happening for quite some time.

Lily was tearing the room apart, half-naked, frantically searching for something.

"Where are my clothes"?

Her clothes. She was looking for her clothes.

"What are you doing"? Chuck asked, his voice hoarse and filled with confusion. "Get back in bed, it's only—".

"It's eleven in the morning, and my dad is awake," Lily said, as she continued to search her boyfriend's bedroom. "I have to get to the hospital".

Chuck sat up in his bed to see a pair of jeans at the end of the bed and tossed them to his girlfriend.

"He is really awake"? Chuck asked as he stood up slipping into a pair of his own jeans.

"I woke up and had a thousand missed calls and messages, all saying my dad is awake"! Lily told him. "I just have to get to the hospital, my car isn't here can you drive me"?

Chuck hesitated. "I don't know, babe. Why don't you take the bus"?

"The—the bus"? Lily snapped looking up at him. "You have a car—that works, and you want me to get on a bus to go see my dad who I have thought was dead my entire frigging life"?

"I just—".

"Don't worry about it—I will take the bus" she snapped pulling one of Chuck's old shirts over her head. "Or I will ask Andre, how stupid of me to ask my boyfriend".

And with that, the fiery dark-haired teenager turned on her heel leaving Chuck alone, on her way to see her father.

* * *

"Brooke, you're going to fall," Haley said as she sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, eating, across from Peyton who looked to be playing solitary but she hadn't taken her eyes off of her food long enough to confirm her theory.

"I'm just trying to open a window," Brooke said as she stood on a chair, leaning on her tiptoes. "It's stuffy in here".

"Is she even allowed to do that"? Peyton asked looking over at the cafeteria worker who sat behind the counter flipping through a magazine that had been lying in the room for six months, she could tell by the news on the front.

"I just run the cash register," she told Peyton. "The windows are out of reach—normally we have to have someone come in and open and close them, they have this special hook that does it".

"Probably for when the hospital has patients like her"? Haley said throwing her thumb over her shoulder at Brooke.

Peyton snickered at the remark.

"I heard that—I just about got it," Brooke said.

Haley and Peyton both looked over to see Brooke tilting on her tiptoes, on top of the chair.

"Shouldn't we let someone know where we are"? Peyton asked, looking back at Haley—suddenly occurring to her.

"I tried Nathan, I don't have service in here," Haley told her.

"Why is it anytime we end up locked in a room together we don't have any service"? Peyton asked.

"It's your punishment," Brooke said as she finally wrapped her fingers around the latch and pushed the window open. "Yes—ah-ha"!

"My punishment"? Peyton asked as Brooke jumped down. "What did I do"?

"You never told me anything," Brooke told her bluntly. "You never told me what was going on in your marriage—you never told me about Lucas or anything".

"Oh, c'mon, Brooke," Haley said. "It's not like that was a roll-off the tongue conversation".

"It should have been, I would have told you".

"You would have told me if Julian was in love me"? Peyton asked, not believing a word her friend was saying. "How is it my marriage ended—and you're mad at me"?

"Because you didn't tell me," Brooke said sitting down next to Peyton. "Your marriage was in trouble—because of me and you never told me. I just want to understand why you didn't tell me".'

"Brooke, my marriage was going to end regardless if you I told you or not".

"Because of me"?

Peyton hesitated. She didn't want to say yes, but she couldn't say no either.

"Lucas fell in love with me before I even met him," Peyton told her. "He loved me first, we were only teenagers but he did. Then he met you, and you just swept him off his feet".

"We were teenagers what does this have to do with anything"?

"I once heard that if you love two people always pick the second because if you truly loved the first you never would have fallen for the second. That's what it has to do with Brooke. Lucas has always loved you, time—distance, growing up... that never changed his feelings for you. I always thought that it would but it didn't" Peyton admitted. "If he truly loved me then he never would have fallen in love with you, it's something that took me a long time to come to terms with. No matter what we would have got divorced, yes because of his feelings for you but I don't blame you for it, Brooke. This isn't your fault, in some ways it's mine. When you and Lucas broke up, he was vulnerable. I was young, so I didn't know any better but I feel like if I had waited—given him enough time to move on from you he never would have reciprocated his feelings for me, even that he needed validation from you first".

Brooke was quiet as she absorbed the words that Peyton had said, it made sense. It all made sense, but it didn't at the same time.

"That is the stupidest speech I have ever heard—and I have heard my fair share of stupid speeches. All from you and Lucas" Brooke said rolling her eyes as she waltzed off.

Haley couldn't help but snicker at Brooke, she didn't expect any less from her life long friend.

Peyton shrugged. "I believe she is handling it well".

* * *

"Hello" Madison yelled once more as she stood in the darkened elevator with her hands on her hips. "Can anyone hear me—two teenagers trapped in an elevator—which already sounds like the start to a horrible 90's horror movie".

No one answered. Again.

But, this time, Madison heard a ringing and it wasn't coming from inside her head. She shined the light from her cell phone to see a phone, an emergency phone, hanging in the corner of the elevator. She quickly made her way across and picked the phone up pushing it to her ear.

"Hello"? She asked, awkwardly.

Jamie could only see Madison's shadow as she talked on the phone while he sat in the corner of the elevator floor.

"Okay, thank you," Madison said before hanging the phone up and turning to Jamie, even though she could barely see him. "There has been an accident, a car hit an electrical pole it knocked the power out for a few blocks and they are working on getting it back on but until they do—".

"We're stuck"? Jamie asked, his voice heavy but frantic.

Madison didn't need to see Jamie know what was going through his head, and she couldn't believe she had completely forgotten.

"They are going to try and get us out," Madison said rushing to his side. "They are working on the emergency lights right now, it's going to be fine".

Jamie shut his eyes right as his head fell back against the wall behind him, he could hear his heart pounding in his ear.

"It's going to be okay," Madison told him. "The lights are off so you can't—".

And the emergency lights turned on, naturally.

Madison looked at Jamie, who was panting as he sat on the floor next to her.

"Let's look at the bright side, it's just us in here—".

"I could be alone and that wouldn't change the fact that in claustrophobic" Jamie told her, his lip trembling as he spoke. "I feel like I'm going to pass out".

Madison ran her fingers through Jamie's hair, maybe out of habit, without the realization that she had done it.

"It's going to be okay," Madison told Jamie. "I'm right here, it's going to be okay".

* * *

Keith held his eyes shut tightly, although he didn't know why. He had never been scared or anything before, and it wasn't that he was scared.

Just confused.

Keith was so confused. He tried and tried to remember something, anything, that landed him in the hospital. But, he failed—which frustrated him. He heard the mention of "coma" more than once, and "brain injury" on occasion by the many doctors but he couldn't be sure they were talking about him.

But, he had a feeling they were.

Coma. Had he been in a coma? If so—how long? He could tell some time had passed since the last time he spoke to Deb based on her appearance, not that she didn't still look as beautiful as ever, but it just didn't make sense. None of it did.

"Keith—you still with me"? He heard Lucas' voice ask him, though he wasn't sure where it was coming from or where he was.

"Y—Yeah" Keith answered slowly as he looked up at the top of the machine. "Any word on when I'm getting that beer"?

He heard Lucas chuckle, although he was sure his nephew saw the humor in it—he was serious. He really wanted a beer.

"We are working on it" Lucas informed his uncle.

"I never have this much trouble when I go to a bar," Keith told his nephew, to which he laughed once more.

"When we get you out of here I will take you to Tric—scouts honor," Lucas told him.

Trick? Or Tric? Keith felt confused, but he felt as though he shouldn't be.

"What's Tric"?

* * *

Lucas released the red button and looked from his brother to his brother's mother, conflicted.

"When did Tric open"? Lucas asked.

Nathan ran his hand down his face as he thought back on the grand opening of Tric—it was easy to remember that night well.

"It was right after Haley and I got married—not long after at all" Nathan told his brother.

"So, he was alive—or whatever when Tric opened"? Lucas asked. "He should remember it".

"Absolutely," Deb said nodding her head.

"Then why doesn't he"?

Deb shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she told him. "The second he woke up they just started running one test after another, he was in good spirits so they didn't ask him any questions".

"Keith," Lucas said pressing down on the button, taking it upon himself—despite the repercussions he could face with the doctors. "Can you tell me the last thing you remember"?

The three waited, Lucas could see his uncle-barely but he looked disturbed. Confused.

"I don't know" Keith answered him. "I don't know what I remember".

Lucas let go of the red button once more, this time more visibly upset.

"Wait—" Keith said after a minute. "We were moving, we moved to Charleston—or Wilmington? No, it was Charleston. Right"?

Lucas found himself apprehensive to answer his question, taken back by the lack of memories his uncle had.

"Yeah," Deb said, nodding as she spoke into the intercom. "You two moved to Charleston".

"So, why am I in Tree Hill"? Keith asked, sounding more confused than he was just moments before.

Lucas released the red button as he fell down into the seat, running his hands through his hair—stressed.

"That's why he hasn't asked for Karen," Deb said. "He doesn't remember that they were ever together".

"How are we supposed to explain Lily to him"? Lucas asked, shaking his head. "We have to tell him that he has spent the past seventeen years in a coma after his brother shot him—and that he finally got to be with the love of his life, and they had a baby together—which he missed, and he also missed the rest of moms life. How in the hell do you tell someone something like that? When Lily gets here she is going to expect to see him—of course, she would, that's her father. I was trying to wrap my head around trying to tell him the coma thing and mom—but there would be a silver lining. Lily. But, now he doesn't even remember being with mom—".

"Alright," Deb said taking Lucas' hand. "Relax. We will figure it out, this is bad but we can figure it out. We have too. Keith is the victim in all this, not you or me or Nathan—not even Lily. Keith is the only person whose feelings that matter in all this".

"Who are you and what have you done with my mom"? Nathan asked leaning against the open door, an eyebrow arched.

"Yoga, it changed my life," Deb told them. "I originally took it up to become more flexible during sex, the older I got the harder it got to put my legs behind my head—".

"There she is," Lucas said grinning at his brother, who looked as though he might projectile vomit any given second.

"You still there"? The three heard, realizing Keith had been trying to get their attention, unaware of how long.

"Yeah," Deb said pressing down on the red button. "Keith, they are trying to get the door open—but we will explain everything to the best of our abilities as soon as we can".

Lucas looked at Deb, curious as to how they were going to explain anything to Keith. He didn't believe or understand half of it himself, it didn't make sense.

Nothing in his life made sense these days.

* * *

Jake waited, and he waited, and he continued to wait for Peyton. Brooke. Haley. Anyone, that had shared DNA with the four children running around in the dark waiting room, that he was attempting to keep an eye on.

Most kids would be upset, even scared by a blackout—most adults would be. But, the four kids were Unfazed by the lack of light, a small light was shining in from the window after the nurse opened the blinds, much to their dismay.

It seems they liked the dark and found it quite amusing.

"So, what's your name again"? Davis asked as looked up at the man he had been left alone with.

"Jake" Sawyer answered, before he had a chance. Jake looked at her unsure when she had popped up, but assumed she took that after her mother. "He sleeps naked with my mom".

"Whoa," Jake said interrupting. "I don't sleep naked with your mom, we have been on one date".

"But, didn't you two date in high school"? Sawyer asked raising an eyebrow.

She had him there.

"Well, yes".

"And did you two sleep naked together then"?

Damn.

"Who even told you we dated in high school"? Jake asked, hoping that it would semi change the subject he currently found himself engaged in.

"I heard my uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley talking about it at their house," Sawyer told him.

"My mom doesn't like your baby momma" Lydia informed him. "Neither does Auntie Brooke".

"That doesn't mean anything," Jude told Lydia. "My mom doesn't like anyone".

Jake couldn't help but chuckle as he pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing he wasn't going to be able to run from this conversation. And he had a feeling it was only beginning.

"My daughter's mother had a lot of problems when we were younger—she is better now" Jake informed them.

"Sounds like my Aunt Taylor," Lydia said. "She got naked with my daddy and my aunt Quinn's ex-husband. But, now she has her own husband so she will stop trying to steal everyone else's".

"Where do you kids learn this information"? Jake asked—honestly curious.

"Through my vent," Lydia told him shrugging. "I can hear everything in my mommy and daddy's room—they make a lot of funny noises at night. Except when my daddy is in trouble—he gets in trouble with my mommy sometimes so he brings home chocolate".

Jake chuckled once more "smart man," he said nodding.

* * *

Andre sat behind the wheel of his car, that hadn't moved an inch—close to an hour. He was parked behind another vehicle, that was parked behind another. The traffic jam went on as far as he could see, as far as Lily could see.

"There is never more than three cars driving around in Tree Hill at the same time and now suddenly everyone comes out of their house at the same time"? Lily asked as she threw herself back against the passenger seat. "This is ridiculous—what is taking so damn long"?

Andre shrugged as he played on his cell phone, scared to verbally answer the dark-haired hot head next to him.

"I can't believe Chuck"! Lily said after a few passing minutes. "I mean he claims to care about me—I always thought my dad was dead, the one parent I did have died, and then by some miracle I get the one I never knew back and he couldn't even drive me to the hospital. He obviously isn't boyfriend material—he isn't anything kind of material. He is just an ass, he is good for sex but past that he doesn't want anything to do with the real stuff. He wanted to put me on a bus"!

Andre looked at Lily, knowing that she didn't know Chuck that well or she wouldn't be so conflicted. For a moment he considered keeping his mouth shut, but because he cared so deeply for the girl next to him he couldn't simply say nothing on the matter.

"What all has Chuck told you about his childhood"? Andre asked Lily. "Or Jamie? What do you know"?

"What do you mean"?

"I don't think it's about meeting your dad," Andre told her honestly. "Chuck has a problem with hospitals, he hasn't stepped in one since the last time his dad put him in one".

Lily looked over at Andre, concerned by his words.

"I'm sure he is nervous about meeting your dad," Andre told her. "But, apples to onions he wouldn't have met him today. Keith has been in a coma, and he still hasn't gone to the hospital before today. It's not about your dad or you—he cares a lot for you. Chuck is a good guy, a great guy—but once you start cracking into his brain he is a little messed up. His parents—they really screwed him up before he could even walk".

"I thought his mom was sober"?

"She is, but that doesn't make up for everything she did before," Andre said. "She stood by while his dad beat him, anytime his dad was around Chuck was in the hospital for—it's not about you, alright"?

"Why hasn't he talked to me about any of this"? Lily asked—genuinely. "I knew he was having issues with his mom, but he never really talked to me about it".

"It's not about you, it's about him. I know, Jamie knows, and Madison knows—but we know because we have been friends with him for so long. It's not something that's easy for him to talk about Lily. Even though you didn't grow up with your mom and your dad you were raised in a happy home, Jamie—he is the Naley prodigy, my mom did everything she could for me until she couldn't, and even Madison had Lauren—despite the current circumstances. Chuck—he didn't have a happy childhood. He holds a lot of resentment towards both his parents, his mom in particular. I know that you needed him today and your hurt that he didn't come but just cut him some slack. It's not something he does intentionally".

Part of Andre wished he had said nothing, the feelings he had for Lily were almost unbearable to sit on the sidelines watching his best friend continually stick his tongue down her throat. But, despite his feelings, they were just that. Feelings.

Chuck was one of Andre's best friends and had been as far back as he could remember. He wasn't everyone's cup of tea, and most the time Chuck wasn't even Andre's cup of tea but he was one of his best friends, more like a brother than anything, and that was what mattered the most.

* * *

"That's disgusting," Brooke said as she took a sip out of her coffee cup, as she stood in of the coffee kiosk in the corner of the cafeteria.

"I would guess because the electric is out, that means that coffee is no longer being heated," Haley said as she walked up behind Brooke, smiling.

Brooke rolled her eyes as she took another sip of the cold coffee in her hand before she looked around to see Peyton sitting in the corner—what looked to be resting her head on her folded arms on the table, eyes shut.

"It's not Peyton's fault—and you really have no reason to be mad at her," Haley said, stating the obvious. "I really don't think she asked for this either".

"I know," Brooke said as she sat down at the nearest table, Haley joining in the seat next to her. "I'm just frustrated about the whole situation—I was a freaking bridesmaid, no I was the maid of honor at their wedding. I haven't thought of Lucas in that way in years, I was with Julian and—".

"First of all" Haley said taking Brooke's hand. "I am team Brooke's happiness, I am completely neutral, as long as you are happy I am happy. But, with that said no one, Luke included, is not trying to take away from yours and Julian's love story. Julian would have moved mountains just to see you smile, he spent weeks and months, just trying to break through your walls. He was patient enough to do it, too".

"Yeah, walls that were built from Luke" Brooke pointed out. "He really screwed me up, for years, and now he just blurts out 'oh, by the way, I still love you'. What did he want to come of that? What did he expect me to do? Just jump in his arms like nothing ever happened, like he didn't just spend a decade married to my best friend, or pick up right where we left off? It's more complicated than that".

"I agree," Haley said. "But, those are questions for Luke to answer, not me. He is my best friend, but I don't always agree with the way he handles things, I don't think he should have told you the way he told you but—".

"But"? Brooke nearly shouted. "There is a but—from you? About this? Peyton and he are getting a divorce and the first thing he does is tell me he has loved me for god knows how long"!

"But" Haley interrupted Brooke's meltdown. "But, he was stressed, to the max. He was to his breaking point, and something had to give, and I think that's why he told you when he told—I'm not defending his choices, but he has a lot on his shoulders right now and he had to brush something off before it broke him".

Brooke sipped on her coffee, she hated that Haley made sense. But, then again Haley always made sense, even when she didn't want to.

"In my mind, I keep going back to when we first broke up, and the problem is it's been so long ago it's been hard to remember everything so clearly" Brooke admitted. "I was a teenager, and now I'm a widow with twin boys who depend on me for everything, I'm just not the same self-centered teenager anymore".

"Do you—maybe think that's why Luke has always loved you"?

"It doesn't matter why it only matters that he has," Brooke said. "Peyton married him, and they have a daughter—I just don't know what to do, Haley".

"Let me ask you this—take Peyton and Sawyer out of the equation for a minute—".

"But—".

"No, just hear me out," Haley said holding her hand up in defense. "If he hadn't married Peyton, what if he had married Lindsey instead—and he and Peyton had never got together after you two broke up in high school. Instead, he was single until he met Lindsey, they got married and now he was divorcing her, not Peyton. He comes to you and tells you what he told you—how would you respond"?

Brooke froze, she looked forward as she thought about her answer. Although, she didn't need to think about it.

She looked across the room at her best friend, who was still asleep—or at least she hoped she was asleep.

"Peyton is moving on, with Jake," Haley told Brooke as she continued to stare at Peyton. "She is happy, for the first time in years she is with someone who wants to be with her and not someone else—".

"It's not about Peyton," Brooke said her voice just above a whisper, tears welling up in her eyes. "Well, it's not just about her—there are so many issues when it comes to this, it's not as simple—but it's Julian".

Haley looked up at Brooke, who was now full-blown crying in the hospital cafeteria.

"I know he is gone" Brooke admitted. "It took me so long to accept that, to come to terms with that. I had to go on the road with Peyton and Lucas because everywhere I turned there were memories here of me and him, some were good and some weren't. But, they were here—and his death was still recent and it hurt too much to stay here. Finally, I realized I was taking away from my boys childhood because they were being homeschooled—of course they got to see things and go places most kids their age didn't but they also deserve to be able to play sports and go to school, when we came back it wasn't as hard, I still haven't set foot in our old home, I have things in there I need but haven't been able to bring myself to walk through the door, I opened it once but that was it. Haley, it's hard enough with everything else, I feel like even thinking about Luke—like I would be cheating on Julian. I feel like even sitting here having this conversation, I'm betraying him somehow".

"Oh, Brooke—".

"I am still so in love with my husband, I know I make jokes and act like everything is fine but it's not," Brooke told Haley. "When I went to see Lucas last night, I wasn't angry with him, he can't help the way he feels I was angry with myself because I feel the same way and even putting Peyton to the side for a minute... Julian is the main focus of my mind, do you know that we planned on trying to get pregnant again this year? We froze my eggs and everything".

"You froze your eggs"?

Brooke nodded, wiping the tears from her face "it was hard enough the first time, to get pregnant. This time we were going to go with a surrogate, Kim Kardashian style" she said chuckling beneath her tears. "I have still thought about moving forward with the plan—but it's like anything I do I feel like I'm going behind Julian's back. If I went on a date with some random guy I met out in town, I would feel like I'm cheating—having a stranger fertilize my eggs I feel wrong but I want more kids, I have even thought about adopting Maddie, but he isn't here for me to talk to and I feel broken, about everything".

Haley brought her friend close and hugged her tightly. It was a pain she couldn't imagine hanging over her heart, she remembers when Nathan was kidnapped.

But, Haley couldn't imagine the pain of losing Nathan, she didn't want to. However, her best friend didn't get a choice, she felt the pain and carried it every day.

* * *

Jamie could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He knew for a fact that the four walls weren't getting closer, but it sure felt that way. He tried shutting his eyes, but that only seemed to make matters worse for him, in fact anytime he shut his eyes it was so easy to begin to feel like he was a little kid again, trapped in the back of his teacher's car that was submerging in water.

The sixteen-year-old's eyes quickly opened, to find himself still in stuck—the very idea sent his mind in a frenzy.

"Try to relax".

Jamie looked over at Madison, who sat next to him, her hand running up and down his arm—which was comforting, but it didn't help him escape from the thoughts inside his head.

"I'm trying," Jamie told her, not that he needed to, she saw his efforts. "I should have taken the stairs—are they even trying to get us out"?

"Jamie, I don't think there is anything they can do until the electric comes back on," Madison told him. "It needs electric to go from floor to floor, even to open the door. But, they told me on the phone they were looking into it, but some patients are stuck in their rooms and that's their main priority right now".

Jamie nodded that made sense.

"I thought the therapy you went to helped," Madison told Jamie, as she looked at her ex-boyfriend—who sat against the wall, panting.

"It did—some" Jamie told her.

"It doesn't look like it".

Madison didn't say it to be rude, and Jamie knew that she was simply stating facts. And the facts were it didn't look like he was better from when they were kids.

"I hate being confined" Jamie admitted. "Stuck. I feel like I can't breathe".

"Jamie, what you went through was traumatic, you were a kid—you could have died, drowned. You don't have to explain anything to me, I just wish I could do something for you".

Jamie looked back at Madison, into her brown eyes, for a brief second, he forgot he was stuck in an elevator because she was all he was looking at it. He became painfully aware of the fact that she was not his girlfriend, as she had always been, as long as he had known her.

"I'm a dick," Jamie said laying his head back against the wall he was sitting in front of, looking away from Madison.

"What"? Madison asked, confused.

"I'm a stupid dick".

"I'm not any less informed by that statement than I was the previous one".

Jamie chuckled.

"Breaking up with you was without a doubt the dumbest thing I have ever done, and I have been friends with Chuck for ten years".

Despite the circumstance, Madison had to laugh a little at his words. Chuck did tend to get the group into some dreadful situations.

"I know you were just scared and that you didn't mean anything by it," Jamie told Madison, taking her hand without looking at her. "I think I was just as scared and that maybe somehow if we weren't together, it would be easier if you were to leave, but it wouldn't be—because not being your boyfriend is worse than any of that".

Jamie wasn't looking at Madison, mostly out of fear that she wouldn't want him back, so he didn't see the smile on her face.

"It's hard for me, too," Jamie said, his voice breaking. "The thought of you leaving, maybe I didn't handle it like I told you—".

Madison pressed her lips to Jamie's swinging her leg over him, straddling him to the floor sitting on top of him.

As the two kissed it was the first time Jamie didn't realize the small space the two were confined in, because he couldn't see anything past Madison.

"I do love you," Madison said breaking apart their kiss, sitting smoothly into Jamie's lap. "And I don't want to be with anyone else in this lifetime or the next when I said that—I'm not the only girl who notices you, Jamie".

"What does that mean"?

"It means, I'm not some tall blonde skinny cheerleader, I'm five foot three and dark-haired and—I have an ass for days—".

"Which I'm grateful for".

Madison rolled her eyes but chuckled at his remark "I just meant that if I left, if the state makes me leave all the girls that already google over you, I just didn't think it would be fair to ask you to wait on me".

"Maddie, I will only ever have eyes for you. I'm not interested in anyone but you and your butt—".

Madison pushed Jamie against his shoulder, laughing.

"I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me".

"How do you purpose we do that"?

"I don't know yet, but I'm not letting anyone take you away from me, ever".

* * *

"They got the door open," Nathan told his brother and mother, as he observed the two men who had been working on the door the same amount of time they had been there.

"Let's go," Deb said standing up, immediately.

Lucas followed but as Deb tore through the doorway into the small room, Lucas froze, although he wasn't sure why. He stood outside of the room unable to take another step forward, his brother standing behind him.

"You okay"? Nathan asked placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I—I don't know" Lucas answered him, honestly.

It was a lot that the eldest Scott was dealing with, particularly in the Keith department. Or any, it had become hard to breathe in his day to day life, and rightfully so.

But, now wasn't the time to focus on that or worry about anything except his uncle.

Lucas took a deep breath before taking a giant step forward and into the room that his uncle had been stuck in for the past two hours.

As the brothers walked in the first thing they noticed was the whirling noise, and looked up to see one of the mechanics that worked at the hospital, that had worked hard to open the door standing at the back of the MRI machine with his handheld to a button—which they assumed was helping Keith exit the machine.

"Are you okay"? Lucas asked as he rushed to his uncle's side.

"Where's that beer"? Keith asked, immediately.

Lucas smiled. "Unfortunately, no one can leave the hospital—like your door was the doors are locked, and we can't leave".

"There's a window," Keith said, half smiling.

"That's a five-story drop," Nathan told his uncle.

"Your point"?

The brothers both chuckled, lightly at their uncle.

"Do I have to lay on this thing—or can I sit in one of those uncomfortable chairs over there"?

Lucas looked over at the two mechanics one of which was waiting as the other propped the door open.

"We won't tell," one of them said as he picked the toolbox up. "We have lots more to do".

Lucas waited as the two left, and smiled before Deb brought one of the chairs as close as she could to the bed, as Lucas and Nathan helped Keith over to it.

"I have no feeling in my legs," Keith told them as he sat down. "I can move my toes, so I'm not paralyzed—but it's like... a car that sat around in a garage for years".

"It's the lack of use," Deb told him as she brought the rest of the chairs over and the remaining three all sat down.

Keith nodded, when he looked up Deb, Nathan, and Lucas were all looking at him—the only light in the room was the one shining in through the windows, but he could easily see the three in front of him.

It was more of a confirmation for him than anything, just by seeing their faces, none of them looked the same as he last remembered them.

"What happened"? Keith asked. "What happened to me"?

"Keith—" Lucas began.

"Save it" Keith ordered. "Whatever speech you have prepared to avoid telling me what happened, don't bother. So, what happened to me—and when did it happen? Judging by the wear and tear on your face, it wasn't yesterday so let's just get on with it".

Keith was mad, but not at any of them. It wasn't anyone around him fault, not that he knew that, but he was trusting in that. He just wanted answers, it was his life and he didn't know what had come of it.

"I'm pretty sure of a couple of things but I need you to fill in some blanks for me," Keith said, his teeth pressed together. "So, What happened to me? Car accident? Heart attack—".

"Dan" Deb blurted out, not entirely sure it was the right move but it was the one she was going with. "Dan is what happened to you".

Keith looked more confused now than he had moments ago.

His brother? What could his brother have to do with him being in a hospital. That didn't make any sense, but none of this made any sense.

"Wha—what do you mean"? Keith asked, his eyebrows pushed together as he stared off, not at any of his family members, not at anything, he just stared.

"There was a school shooting," Lucas told him, the words escaping his mouth slowly. "Do you remember Jimmie Edwards"?

Keith didn't verbally answer his nephew, but he nodded.

"He showed up to school with a gun," Nathan said, talking on behalf of his brother, knowing how close to home it hit for him. "You came into the school, but you couldn't save Jimmie. He shot himself—".

"What"? Keith asked before Nathan could finish the story. "No, he was a good kid—he, that doesn't—why would he do that"?

"That's for another time" Deb answered before either of the boys went into to much detail.

Deb didn't want to overload Keith's brain, not knowing what it was capable of at this moment. She wasn't even sure she should have said anything at all, but she thought he deserved answers and he did.

"Dan got in the school, too" Nathan continued.

"When did he go from Dad to Dan"? Keith asked his nephew.

"Around the time I found out he tried to kill you," Nathan told him honestly. "We all thought he did until here recently, he got in the school and he shot you. We all thought Jimmie did it until high school graduation if he hadn't turned himself in he probably would have got away with it".

The room fell quiet as Keith absorbed the information that had been laid out for him.

At first, he thought it was a joke, it had to be. But, who would make a joke like that? Nathan had been a bit of a prick as a teenager, but even as fresh as his teenage years were in Keith's mind he couldn't see his nephew making a sick joke like that.

Dan and Keith had never seen eye to eye, ever, but he couldn't imagine his brother trying to kill him. But, he had—that just couldn't be right.

"There has to be a mistake," Keith said looking at the three in front of him. "I don't—Dan, tried to—he shot me"?

Keith was physically and emotionally weak, he was distraught and conflicted, it wasn't a look any of the three he was surrounded by had ever witnessed. But, they also hadn't seen him face to face in so long, it was still difficult to believe that he was sitting there in front of them, in fact, it was damn near impossible to believe even when they were able to reach out and touch him.

"I'm his brother," Keith said, speaking of Dan unaware of his death. "Can I see him"?

"Erm—no," Lucas said shaking his head.

"Dan died, about six or seven years ago" Deb informed him.

"He is dead"? Keith asked, genuinely upset by the news of his brother's death. "Six or seven years ago—how long have I been out"?

He chose the word out because it was the only one that seemed fit, it was the only word that seemed to do justice in his mind for covering the description because truth be told he still had questions and no answers. He knew he was shot, but he didn't know much after that.

Deb looked up at her son and his brother, none of the three wanted to answer his question but one of them had to.

Nathan took the bait, he knew his mother and brother were closer to Keith than he had ever been so he took a deep breath and said: "around seventeen years".

* * *

"So, what's your intentions with my mother"?

Jake froze, no longer flipping through the magazine he had in his hand and slowly looked over at Sawyer who sat next to him—arms crossed, eyes narrowed, curly blonde hair in disarray from the amount of playing she had been doing over the course of the past few hours.

She was definitely her mother's child, leaving Jake speechless.

"I'm sorry"? Jake asked, as though he had heard the child wrong knowing he hadn't.

"Your intentions—are they pure"?

"Pure"?

"She heard it on a movie," Davis said rolling his eyes dramatically.

Jake looked at Sawyer, slightly amused, even though she had been exposed she didn't budge. He actually found it cute, and it showed him just how much the young girl cared about her mother, it was obvious beforehand but now it made him smile.

"My intentions are very—pure" Jake said, fighting the laugh caught in his throat.

"Do you plan on having intercourses with her"?

Jake suddenly wasn't laughing anymore.

"What damn movie was this"?

"Aww," Jude said pointing. "You said a swear, you have to put a dollar in the swear jar".

"Your mom is Brooke Davis—actually, that makes sense why you're millionaires. Where is your mothers"?

Sawyer shrugged.

"I thought they would be right back, they have been gone for hours," Jake said, quickly changing the topic before anyone could bring up intercourse again.

"Maybe they got lost"? Lydia said.

"Or maybe they ran away"? Jude suggested.

"Or maybe they are still eating" Davis offered.

"Or maybe the lights are out and they are stuck like everyone else," Sawyer said rolling her eyes at the three younger kids.

Jake didn't say it out loud, but the last one made more sense than the rest.

"They have been gone for hours, you can't eat for hours, even with a stomach like Aunt Brooke's," Sawyer told the kids.

"I wouldn't say that in front of Brooke" Jake told her as he pulled his phone out. "I will try to call your mom, figure out where they are—".

"If they could call—don't you think they would have"? Sawyer asked looking at him. "You may be cute, but you aren't that bright".

Jake, once again, looked over at Sawyer.

Speechless.

"You really are Peyton's daughter aren't ya"?

* * *

"Is this line ever going to move"? Lily asked—more frustrated than she was a few hours ago, believe that or not.

Andre and Lily continued to sit in the line of traffic, longer than either had anticipated as the continued to wait. Luckily enough—the car had an amazing air conditioner for a day like this. Even as fall approached North Carolina still carried some extreme heat.

"What's that"? Lily asked, sitting up at the roaring noise.

The two both turned to see a motorcycle sliding through the many cars that had been stuck in the same spot for hours, and at first, neither of the two recognized the man on the motorcycle but the closer it got the more he became recognizable.

"Chuck"? Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chuck parked the motorcycle next to Andre's car, shutting it off, holding the bike steady with his feet planted on either side.

"What are you doing"? Lily asked rolling her window down to talk to her pain the ass boyfriend.

"Andre told me you were stuck in traffic, so I thought I would give you a ride to the hospital"?

"Is that even legal, what you just did"? Lily asked, curious.

Chuck shrugged. "I don't know" he answered honestly. "All I know is my girl needs to get to the hospital, and she can't and I have a way—unless you prefer to sit here".

Lily stopped for a minute and looked up at him, in amazement.

"I thought you didn't do hospitals"?

"I don't" he answered with a cocky smile. "But, I do you—".

"Oh, my god" Lily said wishing he was within arm's length to smack him one good time.

"Your dad is awake, and that's important to you and you're important to me and I'm not good at this stuff—do you want the ride or not"?

Lily smiled before looking over at Andre "I'm not abandoning you if I go, am I"?

"No, you have to get to your dad," Andre told her. "Go, I'll be fine".

Lily quickly jumped out of his car but froze as her boyfriend went to hand her the extra helmet.

"When did you get a motorcycle"? She asked, it suddenly occurring to her.

"I didn't. It's Jamie's, he hid it at my moms in the shed that no one ever uses so his parents wouldn't find out about it" Chuck told her wrapping an arm around her waist.

"But, you're not old enough for a motorcycle license".

"We forged our parents signature," Chuck told her with a grin. "You want on or not"?

Lily knew she didn't have a choice at this point, but instead put the helmet on and jumped on the back of the motorcycle wrapping her arms tightly around Chuck.

Saying her final prayers as he started the motorcycle and took off.

Lily closed her eyes and when she opened them they were parked outside of the hospital, which had a group of people standing outside waiting.

"What's going on"? Lily asked Chuck, confused by the sight.

Chuck shrugged as he parked before the two jumped off the bike and walked over hand in hand.

"What's going on"? Lily asked one of the nurses that looked familiar.

"Long story short, until the electric is back on we can't go in," she told Lily. "That's why any injuries have been sent to another hospital".

"What if there was an emergency inside"? Chuck asked.

"Well, it's still a hospital, it just doesn't have light. Everyone inside is safe, and in good hands" the nurse told them.

"But—my dad, he is awake".

"Keith is awake"? The nurse asked, of course, all the nurses and doctors had known of him and his story at this point. "I'm sure he is okay, Doctor Lafferty is the best, he is in good—great hands".

"She is right," Chuck told his girlfriend placing his hands on either side of her shoulders. "I'm sure he is fine, he is surrounded by doctors and nurses. I'm sure the doors will open any minute now. You just don't worry, relax, and think of what you will say to your dad when you see him".

"Oh, my god" Lily said turning around to face Chuck. "I'm going to get to meet my dad".

It was a dream come true, for now.

* * *

Haley sat next to the lady that worked in the cafeteria, eating a piece of pie, as she watched Brooke walk over towards Peyton.

Slow and steady.

At first, Brooke was going to avoid talking to Peyton, because she was semi embarrassed about her behavior earlier, not that she would ever admit it out loud. But, this was her best friend, and she could t avoid her forever—especially since the two kept getting locked in rooms together.

"Hey," Brooke said sitting in the seat across from Peyton, who was currently devouring a piece of pizza.

"Hi," Peyton said, attempting to quickly chew the food in her mouth.

"I'm—I'm sorry" Brooke blurted out.

Peyton arched an eyebrow as she picked up a napkin to wipe the grease from her hand. "Broke Davis apologizing, I need to call Victoria this should go into your baby book".

"Oh, please—she never had a baby book for me, I think the maid did though".

Peyton chuckled, as she discarded the napkin in her hand. "Why exactly are you apologizing"?

"A lot of things" Brooke admitted to her. "I shouldn't have been mad at you in the first place, but you should be mad at me".

"What for exactly"?

"Oh, come on Peyton—are you going to make me say it out-loud"?

"Brooke, let me ask you something...from the moment Luke and I got together have you ever kissed him"?

"No".

"Have you ever slept with him"?

"Of course not".

"Have you in any way tried to be with him behind my back"?

"No".

"Then you have absolutely nothing to apologize to me for," Peyton told her. "Lucas should have been honest about his feelings before we got married before we got together even. I shouldn't have told him that I was in love with him when I did, I knew he wasn't over you, and I chose to tell him anyway. From that moment on it was like dominos, one thing fell right after the other".

Brooke listened to Peyton speak, this time she really listened to her.

"I told him at the wrong time and he reciprocated at the wrong time because he was, I can only assume trying to force himself to move on," Peyton told her. "There were always signs but I never paid attention, this is not your fault it has never been nor will it never be your fault. He should have told me in high school that he still wasn't over you. It doesn't matter about the past, who did what or who said what or who shouldn't have done this or that, it's in the past. But, I need you to know that I don't blame you and I'm not angry with you, and I wouldn't be if you were to pursue something with Lucas—".

"How could you even be thinking about that"? Brooke asked.

"Because, I am happy—with Jake, I know it's only been a few weeks and a few dates but he makes me happy and I want you to be happy, and I was Luke to be happy—".

"Damn," Brooke said. "Jake must be really good at making the headboard rattle if he has the Queen the darkness acting like she just has seen a damn unicorn".

"We haven't had sex" Peyton informed her. "We aren't there... not there yet—".

"You are aware that you two have already had sex before, right"?

Peyton rolled her eyes. "That was almost another lifetime ago, we are starting over and I'm happy with that. I don't want to rush anything, I want to take my time and get to know him again, I don't have any expectations of this relationship other than how he makes me feel".

"I don't think I have ever seen you this happy".

Peyton smiled, she smiled a smile that lit up the entire darkroom. It was impossible to miss, the way she smiled when she talked about Jake, she could have been talking about a sewer and wouldn't have been able to wipe the smile from her face.

"I haven't ever been this happy, I don't think," Peyton said grinning.

"I'm happy for you—".

The lights came back on, the two immediately dropping the conversation they had been engaged in.

"Oh, my god" Brooke said, jumping up. "Finally," she said rushing to the door. "Let's get the hell out of here".

* * *

"I want you to know—if you ever tell anyone I did this for you, I will castrate you," Madison said.

Jamie laughed, as he attempted to keep his breathing under control trying, and failing, to ignore the small room the two were confined in.

"Scouts honor," Jamie said, his breathing still heavy.

Madison sat her phone to the side as it began to play music began to play.

"You know I hate you for this" Madison said.

"You love me".

"I hate that I love you".

"Does that make me Ne-Yo and you Rihanna"?

Madison shot Jamie a look, but it only made him laugh, which is what she wanted. She didn't want him to have an anxiety attack, which was the only reason she was standing in front of him about to dance.

"Gon' and do the two-step then cowboy boogie

Grab your sweetheart and spin out with 'em".

With the music playing Jamie watched as his girlfriend, which just the thought of her calling her that once more made him smile, danced to the song she hated most in the world. She had professional training in dancing, in fact, she could do it for a living if she wanted to, but found herself stuck in an elevator doing nothing more than an internet challenge—that she despised.

No sooner than Madison began dancing the elevator's back up lights kicked off, and the main lights kicked on. She quit dancing as the elevator doors slowly opened.

The two rushed out the doors the second they opened, they ran so fast that Madison almost forgot her phone—almost, she was a teenager after all.

"Oh, thank God," Jamie said putting his hands on his hips taking a long and deep breath.

Madison stood behind, waiting for him to get control of himself, finally being in the large opening.

When Jamie turned around he didn't waste a second before wrapping an arm around Madison's waist and pulling her tightly into his body, kissing her.

The two kissed, and kissed, completely oblivious to the many people around them. Frankly, neither cared enough.

"Oh, my god" the two heard a familiar voice, and quit kissing long enough to see Lily walking hand in hand with Chuck. "Are you two back together"?

Jamie chuckled, despite everything, of course, she had to ask. "Yes".

"Oh, finally," Lily said throwing her hand over her heart. "There is hope for love after all".

"Oh, cheese and rice," Madison said pinching the bridge to her nose. "Are you serious"?

"Yes, it's like picking up a people magazine and finding out your favorite couple is back together ".

Jamie and Madison both glanced at each other, and couldn't help but laugh at Lily.

"Did you just get here"? Jamie asked, changing the subject.

"No, we stood outside for an hour and a half," Chuck told him.

"Electrics has been out".

"We know—let's go up and check on my dad," Lily said, with so much joy she was worried her facial bones would break from smiling.

Chuck and Lily walked over to the elevator, not accompanied by Madison and Jamie.

"We're taking the stairs".

* * *

Nathan and Lucas found their way back to the waiting room, at the same time as everyone else who had been caught up in their own predicament for the majority of the day.

Jamie and Madison came up from the stairwell, with Chuck and Lily who opted to walk with their best friends. Peyton, Brooke, and Haley came from the opposite direction out of the hallway, as Jake jumped up—thrilled by the sight of all the kids' parents that he had spent the day with.

"Any news on Keith"? Haley asked immediately upon seeing her husband.

"We got to see him—but they are taking him to his room to rest," Nathan told his wife. "He has had a long day".

"You got to see him"? Lily asked, turning to face her brother. "Does he know about me"?

Lucas looked down at his feet, once again feeling overwhelmed by the news he had to deliver.

"No," Lucas said shaking his head.

"I don't understand".

Lucas took Lily's hand and led her over to the nearest chair, surrounded by all their family and friends.

"Keith, remembers—his life, up until he and I were going to move away," Lucas told him. "It was before he ever got with mom. We explained to him about how he got here, but not much more—or any more. It was getting to be a lot on him, emotionally, and a little physically. It's a lot to absorb, even for someone as strong as Keith".

"So—he doesn't know he was with Karen—he doesn't remember that"? Haley asked, sitting down in a chair across from the siblings.

"No" Nathan answered.

"As much as I wish my mom was here I'm honestly glad she isn't here to witness this" Lucas said. "It would have broken her heart".

"Will he ever remembers—that was right around the time Nathan and I got married"?

"We knew there were risks going in, luckily he didn't wake up with a full case of amnesia," Nathan told his wife. "He is just missing the last six months to a year, the doctors don't know if he will ever regain those memories or not, they said to stay hopeful but not to expect anything".

"Something about how the brain isn't an exact science," Lucas told them.

"Where—where does that leave me"? Lily asked, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"The doctors suggested one thing at a time, kind of easing him into what he is forgetting and what he missed," Nathan told his cousin. "Tonight, they don't think Keith could handle any more news—they are actually pretty upset with us for telling him what we told him".

"What did they say"?

"Not a whole hell of a lot once Deb started in on them," Lucas said chuckling.

"The point is Lily—he will learn about you, we aren't hiding you from him but you have to think of his health. He just woke up and found out he has been in a coma for seventeen years and that his brother shot him, he didn't even remember that—you should have seen his face" Nathan said shaking his head. "Dan and Keith were never close but still—".

"That was his brother," Brooke said. "I don't have any brothers or sisters, but—it's unimaginable what he is feeling".

"Luckily enough he isn't feeling too much right now," Lucas said. "He is sedated".

"The tests they didn't get to run today, they are going to run tomorrow but they do want to give him a few days before we dump anything else on him," Lucas told everyone. "He needs it".

Lily looked down, as she felt a tear stroll down her cheek. "I was really looking forward to meeting him".

"And you will," Peyton told her former sister in law. "This doesn't mean you don't get to meet him, but your dad needs time to absorb everything. The last thing we want to do is overload him and send him back into a coma. Right"?

"No, I don't want that—it just sucks," Lily said. "This is something I used to dream about but thought would never happen, now he is here and awake and I still don't have a dad".

"You have a dad" Lucas promised her. "You have one of the best in the world, and once he knows he will show you himself".

Lily smiled. "I also have the best brother".

Lucas wrapped one arm around his baby sister hugging her, tightly.

"Can we go home now"? Lydia asked yawning.

They all looked at the kids, each one looking more exhausted than the other.

"Of course, princess" Nathan said scooping his daughter up high, ignoring how heavy she had become as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, boys—let's go," Brooke said waving her hand for them to follow.

Lily didn't want to go, she wanted to stay, it wasn't that late in the evening, at least to a teenager it wasn't. But, she knew at this moment there was no point for her there, which was heartbreaking so she stood up, putting her hand in Chuck's and followed the large group outside.

Via stairs.

Because Jamie and Madison refused to step on to the elevator and once everyone realized why no one questioned it and joined them.

"Wait—So you two are back together"? Lucas asked as the large group stepped outside.

"Yes," Jamie answered, for what already felt like the thousandth time.

"Well, are you sure that the right call"?

Jamie froze, forcing the whole group to come to a stop to stare at his uncle, one eyebrow cocked by the confusion.

"What"? Jamie asked. "Are you serious"?

"Luke, I thought you liked me," Madison said.

"Of course I like you—I just think you two should take another... I don't a week and think about this rationally it's a big decision. You know"?

The more Lucas talked the more Nathan laughed until he finally said: "no you heard them, they are back together".

"Damn it," Lucas said pulling his wallet before handing Nathan a couple of large bills. "There is your money".

"What's going on here"? Jamie asked, even more, confused—until it finally clicked. "Wait—did you two bet on how long it would take us to get back together"?

"Of course not," Nathan told his son. "We all did, except Jake and he just didn't know you well enough. So, pay up".

Jamie watched as his mother and his god-mother handed money to Nathan, still unable to believe it.

"Where's my cut"? Peyton asked walking over to Nathan.

"I don't believe this" Jamie said. "I had gone through my first break up and you were all making money off of it"?

"We didn't make any money," Haley said rolling her eyes. "I would have if you two had waited until Thursday".

"Your dad and I were pros of breaking up and getting back together, in high school. It was pretty easy to predict" Peyton said as Nathan handed her half of the money in her hand. "Jake, Sawyer—want to go grab a bite"?

"Can we get ice cream"? Sawyer asked.

"Anything you want a baby girl," Peyton told her daughter.

"You know, you all might have been friends too long," Jake told the group laughing. "You just bet on a couple of a teenagers love life".

"Which I was fluent in, you think I would have won," Brooke said rolling her eyes, in a huff.

"What exactly was your bet"? Madison asked her guardian.

"Tuesday".

"No one thought our break up would stick"? Jamie asked, not sure if he should feel insulted or not.

"God, no" Lily told him. "You two are like Tree Hill's very own Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes".

"This is ridiculous".

"I agree," Haley told her son. "If you had waited until Friday I wouldn't have to listen to your father gloat all night".

"All night"? Nathan asked lightly laughing. "No, I get bragging rights for weeks—you have always been smarter than me, it's nice to know I am better at something... like relationships than you".

"Oh, shut up, Nathan," Haley said as she began to walk towards their car.

"It's okay, babe—I'll tutor you".

Jamie couldn't lie, that was pretty funny.

The rest of the adults all headed towards their vehicles with their kids, leaving the four teenagers alone.

"If you tell me you two bet on us too—I'm clocking Chuck," Jamie said looking at them.

"It's a good thing I don't come from a wealthy family like everyone else," Chuck said gratefully that he was broke. "Oh, I kind of drove your motorcycle here".

"You did what"? Jamie snapped.

"It's a long story—".

"He did it for me" Lily interjected. "So, that I could get to the hospital with the electric pole down traffic was backed up—".

"You're going to have wait until my parents leave to drive that thing out of here," Jamie told Chuck running his fingers through his hair, nervously. "My mom would pass out if she knew I had that"

"How did you even get it without your parents"? Lily asked.

"Money"?

"I meant don't you have to have a parent sign something"?

"I have people," Jamie told her.

The four watched as Nathan and Haley's car drove out of the parking garage followed by Lucas, Peyton and Jake, and then Brooke.

"I'll go put that back in moms shed," Chuck said as he took Lily's hand and the two walked away leaving the couple alone.

"How long until you have to be home"? Jamie asked wrapping his arms around Madison's waist.

"A few hours," she said with a small smile. "Did you want to do something"?

"I have a few ideas".

"Oh, yeah"?

"They all include you naked in the back of my Tahoe".

And Madison couldn't help but laugh "_me suena bien_".

* * *

_**Author's note : I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, when it came to the girls I had a little difficulty writing it. I had a few things I wanted to come across, but as I wrote it some of it just felt like it didn't make the world of sense. But I hope I did well with it. **_

**_ I'm not entirely sure this is how Peyton would react, but it's how she's going to react in this story, but she is so happy with Jake that she she just wants everyone else to be happy. She has come to terms with the fact that it should have been Brooke and Lucas all along. _**

**_ Brooke has not. But, right now she does have a difficult time seeing her self with anybody. As you could probably tell from this chapter. She has a lot on her plate right now without adding Luke to it. Her husband died, she is raising two boys by herself, she now has a teenage girl, she is thinking of adopting Madison, and She is trying to start a new fashion line. There's so much going on in her life, it's very difficult for her to think of starting up any relationship right now but you will get to see that progress, slowly._**

**_Jamie and Madison are back together, once I come up with the storyline that they would be trapped in the elevator I came up with the idea of him being claustrophobic due to the car accident he was in on the bridge. He went through so much as a child and they showed a little trauma with it but nothing like how I would envision a child of his age dealing with it. _**

**_ Keith was the most difficult to write, because waking up and dealing with what he is dealing with would be a lot for anybody, and I wanted to describe it and write it very well. I always saw Keith as the hero and the stronger of the two Scott brothers, But him waking up and finding out what he is finding out would be a lot for anybody and I hope I wrote that well, when I come up with the Keith storyline I have been so nervous to write him into the story. I knew that's where the story was going but I was very anxious about it. _**

**_ Lucas of course has so much on his shoulders, he always does. But, Lily is finally starting to warm back up to her brother. _**

**_Speaking of Lily she didn't get to meet her dad in this chapter and maybe not even the next chapter, I'm not entirely for sure, but she will get to meet him of course. My heart just kind of broke for her that she did in this chapter like she wanted. But, you didn't get to see how much Andre cares for her and Chuck. Unlike any other teenage boy he just push them closer together._**

**_Haley telling Nathan to "shut up" was all in good humor, this chapter was such a heavy chapter that I wanted to bring a little humor towards the end to it._**

**_ I'm not entirely sure if the hospital storyline was actually possible, I have been stuck in a hospital for almost 2 weeks and that's how I came up with this particular storyline, but but this is fanfiction after all. By the way riding a storyline about claustrophobia, being stuck in rooms in a hospital actually being in the hospital is not a good idea. LOL._**

**_ I seen a comment about Madison, being Latino, and that is actually going to be part of her story. Which, I cannot wait to tell. She has always known that she is Latino... But thought she came from a different part of the world, she is going to want to find out who she is. So you will get to see her learn about her true heritage. I'm not sure if the actress who played Madison Was Latino or not, but I chose to write her in my story as Latino, someone that I could relate to. I was born and raised in America, but my roots are much farther south. I know very little Spanish, I'm actually trying to teach it to myself now because I wasn't raised by my biological parents. _**

**_ Another comment asking about who is going to use the tempered condoms, I will say this no plans to get any of the teenagers pregnant anytime soon. _**

**_Now that I have rambled on for far too long I would like to thank you once again for continuing to read my story and commenting. It means the absolute world to me._**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: all rights go to their rightful owners, only claim rights to the cheesy storylines. LOL. **_

**_ This chapter is more of just a filler chapter but enjoy! _**

* * *

Madison had been in a deep sleep, as most people were at four in the morning. But, the sudden feeling of laying in her bed alone—which she had come to hate in the past few weeks.

Immediately, without opening her eyes, Madison knew it was that time. The time when Jamie had to leave to sneak back into his house before either of his parents woke up to find him gone.

Jamie sat at the end of his girlfriend's bed wearing nothing but a pair of athletic pants that he wore to bed frequently as he was slipping his sneakers on. Madison smiled, before sliding to the end of the bed wrapping her arms around Jamie's chest from behind him.

"Are you leaving"? Madison whispered in his ear, even though she knew the answer before planing a small kiss on his neck.

"I have to get in my bed before my mom gets up," Jamie told her, smiling as she ran her hands up and down his chest.

"I have ways of making you stay you know"? She asked.

"Oh, I know—but please have mercy on me," Jamie told her tilting his neck back to face her. "If my parents find out I sneak out every night after they go to bed and sneak back in before they wake up, no basketball, no dates—no nothing I will be grounded until the end of time".

"You win".

With his head tilted to see Madison, he slowly pressed his lips to hers—kissing her.

Jamie couldn't be sure if it was the breakup or the fact that they had recently had sex but anytime the two kissed it never ended at a kiss. But, at this particular moment it had to.

"I need my shirt back" Jamie said, pressing his forehead to his girlfriends.

Madison smiled as Jamie stood up, more than likely to avoid anything escalating. She pulled the overly large shirt over her head, revealing that she didn't have anything on beneath and handed it to her boyfriend.

"That's just cruel" Jamie said as he took the shirt, avoiding eye contact with his girlfriend.

"I will see you at school".

* * *

Haley yawned big as she wrapped the kimono she had hanging next to her bed around her slim figure, glancing over at her husband who would sleep another twenty minutes—maybe thirty, depending on how many times he chose to hit the snooze button on his alarm this morning. She then silently made her way out of her bedroom, careful not to wake Nathan as she did so.

The wife and mother began to make her way down the hall towards the coffee, the kitchen—that housed the coffee.

Haley opened Lydia's door checking on her daughter who laid in her bed butt up in the air and hands tucked beneath her head. She shook her head, half-smiling at her daughter as she quietly shut the door.

Jamie was sixteen years old, he was a teenager and yet she still checked on him every night when she went to bed and every morning when she woke up, this morning was no different. Haley pushed open her son's door to find her son spawned out across his bed, one leg beneath the covers and one leg out.

Once again Haley smiled, she went to the kitchen drank her regular two cups of coffee, took her shower, and dressed—by which time her husband had woke as she began to fix breakfast for her family as her husband showered.

"That was mom," Nathan told his wife as he sat down at the counter, the home phone in his hand.

"How is Keith"? Haley asked, almost immediately.

Keith's progress had also become apart of their morning routine.

"Well, tomorrow he will have been awake for two weeks and they still aren't telling him anything," Nathan told his wife. "So, he isn't in the best mood, he doesn't know a whole hell of a lot, so he is pretty pissed".

"Runs in the family," Haley said. "I talked to Lily yesterday and she is fuming, most girls would be depressed she is out for blood—the doctors, the nurses—I think she even mentioned something about the receptionist".

"And we are sure she isn't Dan's"?

Haley narrowed her eyes at her husband, even though it was a joke he didn't smile.

"Are you nervous"? Haley asked, ignoring her husband's comment.

"Well, yeah" Nathan admitted rather quickly. "I just said that Keith has been awake for basically two weeks and today he finally gets to learn about everything he has missed the past seventeen years—which he deserves to know, but I'm not exactly looking forward to being apart of telling him that he finally got the girl of his dreams but it don't mean a hell of a lot now because she is gone".

"But, there is a silver lining though—Lily," Haley said, offering a small smile.

"That's what I thought too," Nathan told her as he sat down on the stool at the counter. "Then I thought what if something had happened to me the day we got remarried, at the bridge? Then I woke up seventeen years later to Jamie—and I had missed everything. He missed her first steps, her first words, learning to ride a bike, and learning to drive—that's a lot to take in, Hales".

Nathan didn't need to say it, Haley knew it, as smart as she was.

It had been a lot to take in that he was alive for everyone, but waking up after seventeen years had hit Keith the hardest for the most obvious reasons.

"I pulled these out last night," Haley said walking over to the kitchen table where a large number of books sat. "Scrapbooks from over the years, but I made this one—it's all the pictures Karen ever sent us of Lily and some I got from Luke—anyways I thought these could help".

"They will—I thought about taking Jamie with me," Nathan told his wife. "I know he has school, but I thought about letting him play hooky for the day but I wanted to run by you before I asked him".

Normally, skipping school was out of the question but this particular morning Haley didn't have to think twice.

"That's fine—I can't seem to get him up anyways," Haley said rolling his eyes. "I think between basketball practice every other day, school, and working anytime he isn't doing those two things he just seems so exhausted all the time".

Nathan fought the urge to roll his eyes, for even though his son hadn't confided in him anymore since the night he picked him up from the party, he could easily guess that none of the things his wife just mentioned had anything to do with the teenager's exhaustion.

But, he also hadn't told his wife about that particular conversation he had with their son. She knew Nathan suspected that their son had lost his virginity but he never confirmed to her. In all honesty, he didn't want to be the one to tell her.

"You can't be there until after nine, you could probably let him sleep in a little this morning" Haley continued to say as she packed the scrapbooks into a duffel bag.

"I'm sure it wouldn't hurt," Nathan said taking a long sip of his coffee.

"Do you know where you're going to start"? Haley asked, casually changing the conversation back to Keith.

"Luke and I talked about that—we thought we would start with you and me," Nathan said. "He doesn't even know we are married, his memory loss is very vague. He remembers bits and pieces around a certain time but not everything, but he does remember everything else before then".

"I know that no one else besides you, Luke, and Deb have been able to see him," Haley said walking over to her husband wrapping her arms around his neck, nestling herself into his lap.

"The doctors are just being very cautious," Nathan told her. "Doctor Lafferty told us that he has seen cases where someone wakes up and the whole family bombards them, that mixed with the time they missed and they go into distress—plus where Keith just had brain surgery, I think this way has been the smartest. Mom has been allowed to inform him daily on things that are happening or have happened around the world. So, far he hates the Kardashians, loves Starbucks, and believe or not he likes a few Taylor Swift songs".

Haley laughed, lightly. "I can't picture Keith listening to Taylor Swift".

Nathan chuckled. "Neither can I, Brooke and Peyton put together stuff for mom to take to the hospital every day, things that have been popular or have significance over the past seventeen years".

"Peyton sent Taylor Swift"?

"No, I am sure that was Brooke".

Haley smiled, for a second. "There is something about Brooke, that I wanted to talk to you about".

"Okay".

"Did you know that before Julian died she froze her eggs"? Haley asked. "Where she had such trouble getting pregnant with the twins, they decided to take the surrogacy route".

"I didn't know that".

"Yeah, and she is talking about moving forward with that plan without him," Haley told Nathan. "She told me a little about it at the hospital, and the other day when I was over helping her decorate her house on her computer she was on this surrogacy website. I believe she is going to move forward with that plan without Julian, have another baby by herself".

"Well, if anyone can kill the single mother game it's Brooke," Nathan said. "She is an amazing mother".

"I agree," Haley said, excitedly by her husband's reaction. "She told me a little bit about the surrogacy process, she doesn't get to meet the surrogate until her last trimester. Brooke mentioned something about hard that's going to be, and how she would rather know the person that was carrying her baby".

It was like an alarm went off in Nathan's head as his wife spoke.

"Brooke asked you to carry her baby"? Nathan asked.

"No, I don't even think it occurred to her to ask me something like that, but I'm thinking about offering," Haley said. "We was trying for a baby so I have been on a healthy diet, I've not been on birth control, I workout—".

"Hales—".

"But, I wanted to talk to you about it first," Haley told Nathan as she jumped up out of his lap and walked around the counter, turning to look across at her husband. "This decision, if Brooke said yes, wouldn't just affect me".

"It's your body".

"But, it's our life," Haley said. "For nine months I would be pregnant, it would affect all four of us".

"Hales, that's not what I'm concerned about, I have gone through two pregnancies with you. You being pregnant wouldn't concern me".

"Then what's concerning you"?

"When you're pregnant you put your body through so much," Nathan told her. "Morning sickness, cravings, possible blood pressure problems—labor, that's a lot to through and at the end of this, you wouldn't bring home a baby. You would leave the hospital, alone".

"I know that Nathan but it's not like I won't ever see the baby he or she will live right across the road and think about it like this—we will never have to buy Brooke another birthday present".

Nathan paused "that take the stress off the month of March—would we have to buy the baby a gift".

"I assume it would be just like our kids I gave them both life and twice a year I give them presents for the most painful experiences I have ever endured".

They both laughed, but after a minute Nathan looked at his wife because joking aside he had a real opinion about it.

"I want you to know if you decide to do this I will stand behind you one percent," Nathan told his wife standing up and walking over next to her, taking her hand in his. "But, I want you to think about it before you even consider bringing this up to Brooke".

"Nathan—".

"Hales, I have stood by your side through two pregnancies and before you ever even gave birth to Jamie or Lydia you had this connection, this bond with them that I used to envy. You're so nurturing, you're a natural mother. If you decide to do this, you will still feel all those things towards this child but it won't be yours. Genetically. Just promise me you will think about it, okay"?

Haley had her husbands support, no questions asked, all he was asking her was to think about it. That she could do.

"Okay," Haley said wrapping her arms around Nathan, leaning upon her tiptoes and kissing him. "What time will Luke be here"?

"He won't," Nathan told her. "I am going to pick him up at his house, he was here yesterday and he and Brooke saw each other—".

"They fought"?

"No, but she hasn't spoken to him—which I'm sure she doesn't know what to say, but it looked like he had been stabbed with a knife so I offered to pick him up".

"Oh," Haley said looking down.

Nathan picked an apple and took a large bike before asking "how do you think that's going to end"?

Haley shrugged. "I don't know," she told him honestly. "It's not exactly a black and white situation, I couldn't even venture a guess".

"Really"?

"I mean—yeah, every time I talk to Brooke about it or gets brought up it's never an easy conversation for her. She thought that part of her life was over, she thought that was a chapter in her life that was over" Haley told Nathan. "She loves Luke, but I don't know if she is in love with him, I don't think she knows. I think after he broke her heart—again, she put him in this little box in her head and filed him under friend and never thought about having to take him out and reevaluate all those old feelings".

"How do you not know if you're in love with someone or not"?

"Nathan, it would be like something happening to me and a year and a half later Peyton coming up to you and saying she was still in love you. What would you do"?

"Well, I don't think Peyton and I were ever actually in love—did you not see the type of relationship we had or were you not paying attention"?

"You can be such a guy," Haley said shaking her head smiling. "It's not—it's not that Brooke doesn't know, I think she does and I think that's what scares her. Not to mention everything already going on in her life with the kids and Maddie and trying to have another baby and she just bought a new house and running Baker man and trying to start a new fashion line, it's a lot. So, she is burying herself in everything else so she doesn't have to feel like she is cheating on Julian"

"Julian has been gone for almost two years".

"I know, but I get it," Haley said. "If something happened to you, I don't ever think I could move on".

"Yeah, I guess I get it, too," Nathan said. "I couldn't ever picture being with someone else".

"How is Luke? You seem him more than I do".

"Well, he hasn't really talked about Brooke," Nathan said. "He and Peyton officially sign the divorce papers on Monday".

"I thought he filed weeks ago".

"He did, there were a few snags. She didn't agree with this and he didn't agree with that but they managed to be adults and keep it out of court so I'd say that's a win".

"It is".

"But, other than that everything else is about Lily and Keith. He caught Chuck in Lily's room the other morning—in bed with his little sister".

"What"? Haley asked.

"Yeah, I'm assuming it didn't go well because he is putting a lock on her windows and door," Nathan told Haley. "She is trying to say he isn't her dad but I guess he isn't letting her just run off this time, I considered putting a lock on Jamie's room just for the hell of it".

Haley chuckled. "Are you trying to give him a panic attack, we couldn't do that?" Haley said. "Not that I wouldn't, but he is claustrophobic he would end up in the hospital. If the door is open he has to have one of the windows open".

"I know that's why I said considered," Nathan told her. "I invited Jake over for dinner Sunday night, him and Peyton".

"Oh, well I'm glad you told me—I would have hated for them to show up with nothing to eat".

Nathan smiled at his wife. "How is that going—those two"?

"Great. She is always smiling, and they aren't even having sex, she says she wants to be legally divorced when that happens".

"Well, that's good right"?

"She is happy, of course, it is," Haley told him before glancing down at her watch. "I have to go wake Lydia before we are late".

* * *

_**Author's note: like I said above this chapter was more of just a filler chapter to set up for the next chapter. There will be a few other things going on at the main center of that chapter will be Keith, and basically him learning about everything that has happened in his absence so it is going to be a pretty big chapter.**_

_**Per The usual thank you to everyone who reads, and reviews, it absolutely means everything to me. **_

**_ And as always I try to answer a few questions that I've seen, if I ever do not answer a question or address something it's either for two reasons. The first being I have simply and mistakenly overlooked it, and the second being it's part of a unfolding storyline and I do only want to give away so much. _**

**_ Madison, and her heritage, I seen a comment that Mentioned about thinking she was from Barcelona and that was her heritage. That has been what she has thought as well. The people who left her ( and that's how she ended up in Lauren's care) that she thought was her parents, we're not her biological parents and more of that story will unfold later. So, you will get to see her try and find her real parents, but I still haven't quite decided how I'm going to end that one. I have two different endings for that storyline, but she will be exploring that and searching for answers her self._**

**_I am not a fan of Julian either, I feel like I would have liked the character if he had been with Peyton, lol. But, I am still trying to do justice to Brooks character and when she loves someone she loves them with all her heart, and then some. Plus, it does add another obstacle for Brucas. And I'm just not ready for them to be together yet._**

**_ As for Keith and Deb, Right now she just simply feels guilty because a lot is her fault so that is why she is so present with Keith. Having not left the hospital and not left his side, a lot of that comes from her guilt, but who knows where that might lead?_**

**_ Again, this chapter was simply just a feeler and I really used the James/Scott family to do that, but the next chapter will have so much morning. _**

**_ Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! _**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the storylines**_

**_I know it's been over a month since my last update, I am so sorry. I have been sick, along with going through writers block with this story. So, This is just another small filler chapter. I'm having trouble writing the same dealing with Keith. I just want to do it justice. Enjoy the update though._**

* * *

"Lydia's mom packs her lunch" Davis reminded his mother, as he did every morning in the midst of the morning chaos. "Yesterday she had a sandwich in the shape of a butterfly and carrot sticks"

"Do you want a sandwich in the shape of a butterfly"? Madison asked, teasing the young boy as she reached into the refrigerator grabbing a large bottle of water. "I can make you one".

"Ew, no"! Davis said shaking his head.

"I could write your name on the sandwich in pink sprinkles," Madison told him, grinning. "Or I can make it into the shape of a little heart, all your friends will be so jealous".

"Oh, my god" Davis said, dramatically throwing his hands over his face. "Never mind".

The child took the lunch money from his mom and ran off, Brooke couldn't help but giggle for a second. She looked over at Madison who was peeling an orange, a quick breakfast.

"You were already in bed when I got in last night—and you had the boys asleep, so thank you for that" Brooke told Madison. "But, there is something I need to talk to you about".

"Am I in trouble"?

"Oh, no"! Brooke told her immediately. "Not at all" she swore. "I got a call yesterday, and I—they have set the court date for your hearing".

Madison knew it was coming, she was honestly shocked it had taken as long as it had. But, it still hit her like a ton of bricks or the fear of having to leave Tree Hill did.

"Oh".

Oh? That was all she could say was oh? The teenager wanted to kick herself for her reaction, and if her short legs could reach her butt she would.

Brooke, however, understood why the teenager was shocked, in fact, she didn't blame her. She had been speechless herself the day before.

"But, don't worry we are going to figure this out" Brooke promised Madison. "I have a few ideas—".

The sound of Madison's phone ringing had cut her off, when the teenager looked down she saw her boyfriend's face on the screen.

"I have to go make sure Jude is awake—we will talk about this later, okay"? Brooke said placing her hands on each of Madison's shoulders.

Madison slowly nodded, as if that's all she could do.

After what felt like an eternity, her phone was still ringing, even though in reality it had only been ringing for five seconds.

"Hey," Madison said, as she sat down at the kitchen, doing her best to hold it together.

"Hey—are you okay"?

Leave it to Jamie, just hearing one word through a phone he could easily tell when something was wrong with his girl.

"Yeah, I'm fine".

"Don't lie to me".

Madison smiled, a little. "It's nothing, I will tell you about it at school".

"That's why I called, I won't be at school today" she heard Jamie's voice tell her through the phone. "My dad wants me to go with him and uncle Luke to the hospital to talk to Keith".

"Oh, wow," Madison said, shocked. "You're going to get to meet Keith"?

"Yeah, I guess," Jamie told her. "I think dad just wants me to go for support, today is a big day for Keith—you're not mad that I'm not going to be at school are you"?

"Of course not" Maddie told him. "I'm just wondering how Lily is going to take it that you got to meet her dad before her".

* * *

Lauren had never felt more humiliated in her life, she stood all alone in her house, embarrassed. She returned home from prison the night before, with a rather aggravating ankle bracelet.

And not the kind she normally would buy from Tiffany's.

When she dressed herself, she made sure to wear a large pair of sweat pants that covered her ankle, at the risk of anyone stopping by. She wasn't sure where they had come from, if she had to guess she assumed they were Jamie's that Madison had permanently borrowed at one point in time, she had a habit of taking off with her boyfriend's clothes to wear as pajamas.

It was one of the few things that the teenager had left, her bedroom was depressingly empty.

Lauren stood in the middle of the teenagers—former room, the only thing that hadn't been packed away was the furniture. There were a few items of clothes hanging over a dresser drawer, or in the closet—Lauren assumed when she packed she left in a hurry. But, not so fast that Madison knew that the only pictures she would leave from the large collage above her bed were the ones of her and Lauren.

It was clear how she felt about Lauren, and worst of all Lauren felt it. She felt it from the unanswered texts, the ignored phone calls, the social media blocks, and everything else she could do to avoid the woman who had raised her.

"Hey" Lauren heard and turned around to see Andre standing in the doorway.

"Hey," Lauren said wiping the tears away from her eyes. "What are you doing here"?

"Antwon asked me to drop some food off, it's all downstairs on your table," Andre told her. "He knew you had been gone for a few weeks, and didn't know if you had anything edible".

"Oh, thank you".

"I got you something from the cafe he will be here later with some actual groceries," Andre told her. "Are you okay"?

"Yeah".

Lauren wanted to roll her eyes, even she didn't believe herself and she was pretty great at lying to herself.

"How—how is she"? Lauren asked.

Andre didn't need her to clarify, he knew exactly what she that Lauren was referring to.

"Good," Andre said, awkwardly stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I really only get to see her at Lunch—between school, the cafe, basketball practice, and volunteering at the tutoring center it's hard to keep up with her—even for Jamie".

"Sounds about right," Lauren said smiling.

Madison had never been one known for her laziness.

"Has she—has she said anything about me"? Lauren asked, very aware of how much she sounded like a lovesick teenager.

"She hasn't really said a lot to me about it—I'm sure she and Jamie have talked about it but Maddie is pretty sensitive to the whole thing," Andre told her. "She is confused, she doesn't know who she is or who her parents are, none of it. It's not easy for her, and with you, I think she feels betrayed".

Lauren nodded, slowly.

Of course, she felt betrayed, she should. Lauren hid something from her, perhaps if she had told her—there was no going back now. Not for her, or Madison, there was no point in playing the what-if game.

"How long are you—do you have to wear—or—"?

Andre has tried to change the topic but hadn't been that good at it, in fact, once he opened his mouth he regretted it.

"I'm on house arrest until my trial which has yet to be set," Lauren told him. "My lawyers aren't exactly upbeat about it either, without Maddie's testimony I could go to prison for around ten years—minimum".

"She won't testify"?

"I haven't asked her, I couldn't," Lauren said. "I wanna talk to her, I miss her, but I couldn't ask her for something like that".

* * *

Mouth stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom he shared with his wife, tying the tie around his neck. Although he wasn't sure why he felt a mirror was necessary, he could easily tie his black and white tie with his eyes closed.

After observing his wardrobe one last time he found his way downstairs and into the kitchen where Millicent was feeding Jimmie while Lucy was buttering her toast.

It had been weird, no not weird just awkward—at first, but at some point, it had stopped. The teenager had fit perfectly in with the family, her family. As if she had been there all along, which everyone wished she had.

"There are papers on the refrigerator that you need to sign," Millicent told her husband as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Papers"? Mouth asked as he walked over an eyebrow arched in confusion, normally he only ever had to give away his signature at work or the bank.

"The school sent them" Lucy explained. "It's so I can take drivers ed".

"You need permission for that now"? Mouth asked. "Back in my day they just turned us loose and prayed we made it back in one piece".

"Geese Grandpa," Lucy said as she took a bite out of her toast. "Why don't you sit down and tell us about the good ole days".

Without turning around Mouth could hear his wife laughing from the kitchen table.

When Lucy looked up her father was looking at her, and just by his look alone, she couldn't hold in her laughter either.

"You know what"? Millicent said as she continued to feed her son. "Forget drivers ed, I can teach you"!

"That's a nice gesture honey, but who is going to teach you"?

Millicent rolled her eyes. "I'm a great driver".

"I believe me and that stop sign in Denver would disagree" Mouth said and looked to find his daughter confused. "She got confused between the brake and the gas pedal".

"The gas got stuck" Millicent defended herself before throwing her arms up at her husband, it was clear it has been an ongoing argument for years.

"Millie grew up in the city, she had taxi's and the subway—why don't I teach you"? Mouth asked his daughter. "My dad taught me, I can teach you".

"Really"? Lucy asked. "You want to teach me"?

"Yeah, after school sound good for you".

"Yeah, definitely" Lucy told him grinning ear to ear.

* * *

Nathan slowly pushed his foot down on his brake, stopping his car beneath the traffic light. The inside of his vehicle was silent, even though he wasn't alone. Jamie sat in the passenger seat, playing on his phone completely unaware of any of his surroundings.

Nathan knew why his wife was having a difficult time when it came to their son when he looked over and he no longer saw a child sitting next to him but a boy, you could almost mistake him for a man. It was hard for him, too.

The light turned green and Nathan began to slowly drive again. Most of everybody was either at work or school, so traffic was fairly light. So, he took his time—not intentionally, but his mind was somewhere else.

Jamie was sixteen years old, he was just two years younger than Nathan was when he became a father and his son was no longer a virgin—

"Jamie"?

For the first time since the two had got in the car the teenager looked up from his phone "Yeah".

"Can we talk"?

"Uhm, What is it that we are doing"?

Good point. A smartass, but good point.

"I need you to put your phone down, and be honest with me okay"?

Jamie locked his cell phone and laid it between the two, but nodded.

"You and Madison—you two are having sex".

It wasn't a question.

"I told you that we have".

"But, you were apart. Now, you're back together so you're having sex—frequently".

More like as much as humanly possible.

"Yeah".

"And you two—you're safe"?

How could the two be alone and Jamie feel this much humiliation?

"Dad, please to god stop".

"I'm your dad I have a right to ask these questions".

"Okay, but how would you feel if Grandpa Dan had asked you that"? Jamie shot back at his father.

Again, he had a fair point. Dan had been gone for years, but yet the very thought of discussing sex with his dad made his skin crawl, though not as badly as the thought of becoming a grandfather anytime soon.

"This isn't about me and my dad this is about me and my son, Dan never asked me because he didn't care enough. I do care, I had a baby when I was just two years older than you is that what you want? A baby"?

"No"!

"I'm just trying to make sure that you're—".

"We are safe dad," Jamie said throwing his hands over his face, embarrassed.

"Okay, good so you wear—protection"?

Jamie dropped his hands and looked at his dad who was looking at the road, thank God.

"Sometimes," Jamie told him honestly.

And Nathan's eyes left the road, shooting over in the direction of his son.

"Sometimes? Sometimes"! Nathan yelled.

"Dad," Jamie said grabbing the wheel jerking the two back in their own lane.

Nathan immediately looked back at the road, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Sorry," he told his son. "What do you mean sometimes"?

"I wear a condom sometimes but sometimes I don't," Jamie told him. "It's not a big deal".

"It will be if she were to get pregnant".

"Maddie is on birth control, it's 99 percent effective," Jamie told his dad. "It's not like we have diseases to worry about, we have only ever been with each other. I don't like wearing them—".

"None of us like them," Nathan told his son. "But, we all wear them or otherwise we wear diaper bags and carry car seats".

"I don't have to worry about that okay"?

"Jamie, you do have to worry about that—".

"No, I don't".

"And why the hell not"?

"I can't have kids" Jamie snapped at his dad, tired of this conversation. "After—my incident with the horse over the summer—it wasn't just a penile fracture, it hit a little lower than that, too. The doctor said something about testicular trauma" he said, his voice lower and softer.

Nathan parked the car in Lucas' driveway but he didn't get out, not yet. Instead, he turned to face his son. "Why—why didn't you say anything"?

Jamie shrugged. "I'm sixteen, it's not like it's a big issue now. I'd love to have a kid, in like ten or fifteen years but it just didn't seem worth mentioning, I haven't even told Maddie".

"Why not"?

"Because she wants kids one day, she has talked about is getting married after high school and having six kids and now—".

"You're scared she would leave you—over it"?

Jamie didn't have to answer his dad, he already knew.

"I don't think Madison would leave you over that but you're right it's not a problem you need to worry about now".

"Dad, please don't tell anyone".

Nathan looked at his son, it was obviously not something that he wanted to talk about with his dad but trying to talk about the "being safe" he pushed him.

"Okay".

* * *

Think about it.

He wants her to think about it.

Haley sat at her desk in front of the classroom as the students began to slowly pile in, one after the other, finding their designated seats. Haley never assigned seats, but somehow over the course of the first quarter, they each had found a seat they preferred.

Mrs. Scott watched the students as they sat down, and talked about whatever high school gossip was making its way around the school, as she thought about.

Per Nathan's suggestion.

But, what was there to think about? This was her best friend, who wanted to be a mother—again. Haley and Nathan could have a child anytime that they want, they were blessed in that way she didn't have to think about it.

Although she knew what she felt when she gave birth to Jamie and Lydia—she couldn't have imagined handing them over for someone else to raise.

But, this wouldn't be her child—

The bell rang that hung over Haley's head pulling her out of her own thoughts.

Haley stood up "time for class".


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the overly dramatic storylines! **_

_**Well, my first long chapter in sometime, and it's jammed packed with all your favorite ships and Keith so enjoy! See you on the other side Lol! **_

* * *

For the first time since he opened his eyes in seventeen years, he saw the world outside of the hospital. He had only been awake for thirteen days, and in those thirteen days, he hadn't left the room he was in—except when the man doctors that he spent his days surrounded by decided it was time to run more tests. If Keith never saw another machine large enough to fit a body into, it would be too soon.

Deb hadn't left his side, and if she did it must have been when he was sleeping.

Lucas had stopped by.

Nathan had stopped by.

Numerous times each, but he had yet to have a real conversation with each of his nephews since the day he woke up. Per Doctors orders he assumed, they asked how he was and how he was feeling but anytime Keith asked questions they quickly diverted the conversation back to his health, what was playing on the tv, the cute nurses—and even golf, which none of the Scotts knew anything about.

Keith knew today was different, when he woke up Deb was smiling. He had been begging her to go outside, and she had been begging the doctors—she finally wore them down, because a wheelchair was waiting for him when he opened his eyes.

"You smell that"? Deb asked as she pushed the chair Keith was sitting in.

"Is that, that pizza place on Orchard Avenue"? Keith asked, arching an eyebrow. "That place hasn't gone out of business yet"?

"I was talking about the fresh air—but no, it hasn't," Deb said rolling her eyes at her former brother in law. "It's not as bad since Martin retired and his son inherited it, he married a woman from Italy".

Deb turned the corner and the two walked out on the patio that was connected to the cafeteria and she pushed his wheelchair up to one of the many open tables, then sat in an open chair next to him.

Keith looked around, Tree Hill's hospital must have had some construction over the years as it wasn't as he remembered. It was larger, maybe they had built another one and changed locations—he couldn't be entirely sure. But, it was pretty difficult to see the rest of Tree Hill around him, but he could see the river.

For some reason, Keith fixated on the rushing water and closed his eyes as he felt the cool breeze blowing across his face.

"So," Deb said, gaining Keith's attention. "Doctor Lafferty didn't just give me permission to bring you outside".

"Is he going to let me have a beer"?

Deb chuckled, but shook her head as she answered him "no" she said. "But, does think you're ready to—he said we can start filling you in on bits and pieces from the past seventeen years".

"We"?

Deb pointed, and Keith looked up to see Nathan and Lucas walking towards him, with a teenaged boy by their side. Nathan carried a small duffel bag over his shoulder as they slowly approached him.

"Well, well," Keith said looking up at his nephews as Nathan sat the bag down on the ground, letting out a long sigh. "Haven't seen you two in a few days—forget about me, did you"?

Lucas chucked, "no," he told them. "Doctors orders, he wanted to run a few final tests before letting us move forward with our plans".

"Move forward with our plans"? The teenaged boy asked, snickering as the three sat down at the table with Keith and Deb. "Do you think you're on an episode of Criminal Minds"?

"The doctor's words not mine, smartass," Lucas told him.

"Uh, who—who is this"? Keith asked not particularly looking at anyone.

"This" Nathan said placing a hand on the teenager's shoulders. "Is my boy, my oldest. Jamie".

"Hold on—you produced"? Keith asked a little amused by the thought. "More than one"?

"Yeah," Nathan said chuckling. "I have Jamie, he is sixteen and then I have Lydia she will be nine at the end of the winter. Haley and I have been married for—".

"You married Haley"?

"Yeah".

"She put up with your ass all these years"?

And with that Jamie had to laugh, he knew he just met his great uncle but he could tell they would get along well.

"She about left him a few times," Deb told Keith.

"Like when she caught him naked with the nanny" Lucas said.

"We aren't talking about nanny Deb, right"? Jamie asked.

"No," Lucas said, in a matter of fact tone. "I believe if that had been the case they would have needed a much more expensive therapist than the one they had".

"I'm going to smack both of you," Nathan said, looking back and forth between his son and his brother.

"I'm so confused," Keith said pinching the bridge of his nose before looking up at his great-nephew, which was strange enough to think about in itself. "So, you're Nathan's son"?

"Yes".

"Are you sure you're not Luke's—".

"I swear to God one more person says that and I'm getting his ass DNA tested".

Lucas looked at his brother, disgusted by the accusation. "That's creepy on so many different levels, Haley is like my sister—she is my sister".

"What's in the bag"? Deb asked chuckling at the four Scott men she was surrounded by.

"Scrapbooks" Nathan answered. "Haley sent them—she would have come but she had after school detention".

"Oh, god," Lucas said. "What did she do"?

Nathan rolled his eyes. "She is administrating it".

"Wow," Keith said. "You two get along a lot better than I remember".

Nathan and Lucas both looked up, it suddenly occurred to them both that even though he had been alive when they got along, his brain wasn't allowing him to remember too much of it. If any.

"Yeah, we buried the hatchet years and years ago," Nathan told his uncle as he fished into the bag and pulled out a scrapbook.

"So, you don't call him a bastard anymore"?

"Oh, no he does—but only when I win at Pictionary," Lucas said, grinning.

Keith smiled, and it was clear to him that more than likely that was his nephew's goal.

It was, despite the circumstances both Lucas and Nathan wanted to keep Keith upbeat and in good spirits, because they had a lot to tell him and they didn't know how he would respond.

To anything.

* * *

"Catch you at practice" Madison heard one of her teammates sat as she gathered her things, stuffing them one by one into her book bag.

When the teenager looked up she was the last one in the classroom, besides her teacher and her boyfriend's mother. It wasn't the first time the two had been alone, in fact, she rather enjoyed Haley but she found herself confused as to why Mrs. Scott was shutting the door—knowing that she had another class to get to.

"I was wondering if we could talk," Haley told her folding her arms, uncomfortably. "I can write you a note for your next class if you don't care".

"Erm—sure," Madison said sitting her bag back down. "Am I in trouble"?

"Oh, god no," Haley said giggling. "I just—I would like to talk to you though if you don't care".

"Okay".

Haley walked over to her desk and sat down, gesturing for Madison to sit down in one of the many desks in front of her—she assumed she was meant to sit closer to the front so she did.

"Lauren is on house arrest and Brooke has a lot going on so it probably hasn't occurred to her to talk to you about this yet," Haley told her. "You have never really had a mother figure and I'm not entirely sure that it's my place to talk about this with you but if Jamie didn't have Nathan I would want someone to guide him. I'm you're boyfriend's mom so this might be overstepping a bit, but it does concern me—".

"Haley, I'm really confused about what you're talking about right now".

"Sex," Haley said plainly. "You and Jamie are sixteen, it's going to start crossing your mind before too long and I just thought I would talk to you before it does".

Madison wasn't looking in a mirror but she was certain that all the color had drained from her body.

This couldn't be happening.

Why was this happening?

Madison looked around, as though Ashton Kutcher and a camera crew were going to emerge from the broom closet in the back—no such luck.

"Haley I really need to get to class".

Please, God.

"I know that this is awkward, and probably somewhat uncomfortable but your bodies are changing and your hormonal, we all go through it".

Madison was in hell.

* * *

Brooke was not a very patient woman, ah hell. Who was she kidding? She had zero patience, and sitting in the same spot for the past three hours was not helping matters, at all.

She glanced up at the clock that hung high on the wall inside the courthouse, the last place she wanted to be at this current moment but it was the only place she knew she would get answers. If there were any answers to be given, that was.

"Davis"?

Brooke looked up to see who she assumed was a secretary, perhaps. A woman, who not only looked as though she hated her job but her attire matched the fluorescent lighting of the dimly lit building.

Brooke stood up and followed the woman, she led her into a small office, that honestly could do with a small sprucing up but she opted not to voice her opinion as she sat down.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Davis"? The man behind the small desk asks her.

"I have a foster daughter—sort of," Brooke said. "I'm looking to adopt her, possibly. I need to know how to go about doing so".

"Has her parents relinquished their parental rights"?

"Erm—I'm not entirely sure".

Confused, the man looked up.

"How did she land in foster care"?

"Well, that's an interesting story—not interesting like ha-ha, more like interesting when you're watching a daytime soap and you find out that Michelle married her long lost fraternal twin brother who killed their father in search of the family heirloom that will free them all from their cousin Louis curse".

Judging by the man's facial response Brooke was certain he was questioning her parenting skills altogether, in fact, she did most days.

"It's actually complicated," Brooke said correcting herself. "I'm not sure when she arrived in Tree Hill, I don't know if she was born here, I only have history on her from the age of six and up. It seems as though she might have been kidnapped when she was a child, or a baby—the people who had her, the ones who falsely claimed to be her parents abandon her. They just left her, her neighbor saw this and took her in. The only crime Lauren truly committed was not reporting it to the authorities, she took care of this girl but when the police found out they arrested her for kidnapping. So, she was taken out of Lauren's custody and placed in the states—the state is wanting to remove her, due to conflict of interest regarding Lauren they want to move her to another state, she has grown up here. This is her home, so I would like to adopt her".

Brooke was certain this man who sat behind the desk could only make one facial expression, in fact, she was sure of it. But, most people tend to make the same reactions when Brooke spoke.

"I told you it was straight out of a soap opera that housewives and retired couples when the sun is still out," Brooke said crossing her arms. "Just tell me what I need to do".

"Well, to be honest, Miss. Davis—for you to move forward you will have to locate her parents" he told her. "If you want this overruled instead of fighting a court you will have to get them to sign their rights over to you".

"And what if they are dead"? Brooke asked, curiously. "I mean she was not in her parent's custody—I highly doubt her parents just handed her over to two strangers, and of course I do not wish that either but—what if"?

He shrugged "it will probably still go to trial, but it will be a cut and dry type of thing. Either way, her parents need to be located even if just to let them know their daughter is alive and well".

* * *

"I brought your favorite".

Skills sat down the to-go bag on the kitchen table where Lauren was currently sitting at, and acted as though she didn't hear him. Instead, her eyes were glued to the touchscreen mobile phone in her hand. When he leaned over Skills saw a picture, a selfie, of Madison and Jamie.

"Good news," Lauren told him. "Jamie is back to being her man crush Monday—she posted this on Monday, I didn't even know they had split up".

"Yeah," Skills told her nodding. "It was pretty brief—it lasted shorter than it takes Mouth to have sex".

Lauren wanted to laugh, but she just couldn't. Instead, she social media stalked the sixteen-year-old girl that used to live with her, which sounded far more creepy than it was.

"She is living with Brooke"?

Skills continued to set the food out on the table that was inside the bag, but he nodded—slowly.

"She posts about practice and working and school and how amazing her boyfriend is—but she has deleted everything she ever posted about me," Lauren said a tear escaping from her eye. "I know what I did wasn't right but I was just trying to protect her, I thought that—".

"Calm down, babe" Skills said sitting in the chair next to Lauren. "It's going to be okay. She is a teenager—I have Andre at the house as living proof that most of the time they are a pain the ass—".

"Andre is the poster child for kids who behave, and him moving in with you was a discussion between you and him and his mother, she entrusted you with her child's safety. No one gave me permission, I was just wanting to keep her safe and I didn't want her to go to foster care or end up with someone she shouldn't be with, that would hurt her. I just saw this child in the window crying for her mommy, who news flash wasn't even her mother—I thought I was protecting her and now she hates me".

"She doesn't hate you".

"I'm pretty sure she not only hates me but never wants to see me again, she might not have been biologically mine but I loved her as though she were my own" Lauren said, sobbing.

"It's going to be alright—just give her time".

"I'm not even scared about going to jail, I'm terrified of her never talking to me again and only being updated by what she puts on social media," Lauren said. "I used to help her pick the pictures she posted, I assume that's now Brooke's job".

"This isn't Brooke's fault, and I don't even blame you," Skills said. "So, stop beating yourself up over this, alright? Give her time".

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime"?

"Well, you have a meatball sub that's getting cold—I'd start there".

* * *

"Wow," Keith said as he observed the picture inside the large scrapbook that was laid out across the table in front of him. "Haley—she made a beautiful bride didn't she"?

"Absolutely" Nathan agreed, without any hesitation. "Haley looks beautiful in anything, but I loved the dress she wore to our first wedding".

"First wedding"? Keith asked, looking up, slightly confused by Nathan's statement.

"You don't remember Haley and I eloping"?

"From the earliest, I can remover it's still only in bits and pieces," Keith told him, his face dropping. "So, you two got married, divorced, and then married again"? Keith quickly asked before anyone had a chance to dwell on his memory issue, it wasn't something he cared to talk about too much.

"Erm—no," Nathan told him not sure to move on or not seeing the mental pain his uncle was in, but if Lucas wasn't going to say anything then neither was he. "We did separate but we got back together before we actually made it to file for divorce, we renewed our vows a year later".

"That's the short version of an incredibly long and complicated story," Deb said. "The long version requires an Elvis wannabe named Chris Keller—".

"Along with some pretty strong pills—right mom"? Nathan asked looking at his mother.

Deb rolled her eyes and threw one of the chips from inside the bag in her hand at him.

Lucas chuckled at the two because he had witnessed the long version of the Naley love story, he had a front-row seat to it in fact.

Keith nodded, he had many questions just from those brief statements but opted not to press on them too much right now. Instead, he flipped the page—to see a picture that set his stomach on fire. The bride and groom stood smiling, ear to ear, with Deb on one side—and Dan on the other.

Dan was still Keith's brother, but apparently, that meant two different things to them. Or it had. Dan looked the same as Keith remembered, except in the picture he was smiling—well the best way Dan knew how to smile.

But, before Kieth could fully react Deb reached into the scrapbook and tote the picture out and shoved inside of her purse.

"Sorry," Nathan said, immediately. "We haven't gone through some of these books in years, most of our pictures are saved on our cloud now".

"What"? Keith asked. "You have pictures on a cloud—are you drunk? Are there personal robots, too"?

Jamie tried not to laugh, tried and failed.

"No," Lucas said, laughing. "Once we get done with this J-Luke will teach you all about the World Wide Web and electronics—won't ya"?

"Of course" Jamie agreed.

"So, you married Haley—popped out two kids, what about you"? Keith asked Lucas. "Did Peyton finally give you the time of day"?

Oh, boy.

Jamie sat back in his seat, watching his uncle who awkwardly shifted in his seat—unable to form a sentence.

"She did" Jamie interrupted on Lucas' behalf knowing they would be waiting forever for an answer from him, sore subject and all. "But, she cheated on him, he is still in love with someone else—I'm curious myself what their therapy bill was. I imitating it couldn't be too much considering they are getting divorced not a very good shrink if you ask me".

"How is your daughter taking the divorce"? Deb asked, it suddenly occurring to her she hadn't talked too much to Lucas about the matter.

Despite the many questions, only one popped into Keith's head.

"You have a kid"? Keith asked Lucas.

Lucas was a father? He—he had a child? The child he raised, was a father?

Now, that brought a smile.

"Her name is Sawyer," Lucas said pulling his phone out and handing it to him with a picture of a blonde curly-haired child on it. "You'll love her".

"When she is sleeping" Jamie cut in, once more.

"She is not that—".

"I caught her and Lydia playing with condoms" Jamie interjected his uncle. "Those two together could plan world domination".

Lucas had no defense, that was about as accurate as it could get. He simply shrugged.

Keith could picture Lucas as a father, easily. It brought a smile to his face—despite the circumstances he was no less confused, but it made him so proud.

As any father would be.

Keith, no less confused, resumed flipping the pages of the scrapbook—looking at each and every picture from his nephew's wedding. That was until he stopped, landing on a picture of Karen, standing with Haley smiling happily.

"Wow," Keith said as he glanced down at the picture. "Your mom looked beautiful—how is she doing"?

Lucas felt his stomach drop at the question, it vaguely reminded him of how he felt when he had to tell Sawyer that her grandmother had passed away. It hurt him, to lose his mother but he still had to swallow the lump in his throat and break someone else's heart.

Lucas' smile wasn't the only one that had faded away at the question, but he was the one who had practiced over and over in his head how he was going to handle it. But, he hadn't anticipated the break he would feel in his heart—this was his mother, and the man he always considered his father.

"We will get to that later" Deb interjected before Lucas shed a tear.

Keith accepted that he did t suspect anything instead he kept looking through the many wedding pictures. There were pictures of some people he recognized and some that he did not. It looked as though it was a beautiful wedding, but this was Haley he shouldn't have expected anything less.

The only problem was, he missed it. He wasn't there, and he tried to think positive because he was here now but it didn't make up for it.

"You and Brooke got back together"? Keith asked as he landed on a picture of the two dance—and smiling. "Whatever came of that"?

Nathan answered before his brother had a chance to even think of a response "a giant therapy bill".

* * *

Jamie laughed, Keith had just told them a story of his uncle when he was a kid, but his smile immediately dropped when he looked up to see his girlfriend walking across the large patio.

Now, normally anytime he saw Madison he couldn't help but smile but she wore something unusual. In fact, he couldn't tear his eye away from her chest—and unfortunately, he wasn't staring at her breasts, which he would much rather do.

"Maddie, what are you doing here"? Lucas asked looking up smiling, either at the teen or the to-go bags in her hands—no one could be sure. "Keith this is Madison, Maddie this is my uncle Keith".

"I have heard a lot about you," Madison told him, smiling. "I have also heard that bacon wrapped chicken is your favorite".

"I'm sure the doctors will approve of that" Lucas said sarcastically, as he eyed Madison.

"Not if they don't find out".

"I like her" Keith said as he took the bag, and dug into the bag. "Who are you exactly"?

"Jamie's girlfriend," Deb said. "Young love".

"It doesn't feel like young love half the time," Madison said smiling.

"Probably because you two have been together since you were kids," Nathan told her. "She feels more like a daughter than my son's girlfriend".

"You like her better than you like me," Jamie told his father.

"She isn't a smartass—".

"Not to you".

Jamie jumped as he felt a large thump on the back of his head, he assumed came from his girlfriend.

"What is the clean teens"? Keith asked pointing at Madison's shirt. "Is that like a charity to clean or something"?

Madison softly giggled, tucking a strand of her curly hair behind her ear. "Not exactly".

"No," Nathan said, arching an eyebrow. "It's an abstinence club at the high school," he told his uncle before looking up at Madison who still stood. "Which begs the question as to why you're wearing it—once you and Jamie had sex didn't you throw that out the window"?

Madison's head snapped in her boyfriend's direction, eyes shooting daggers at him. "You told your dad we had sex"?

"I'm getting judged by a fake virgin—that's ironic," Jamie said. "And in my defense, I was drunk when I told him".

"If I haven't said it before—you're a wonderful father," Lucas said clapping his brother on the back.

"Seriously, why do you have that on"? Jamie asked Madison.

"Well, I signed us up," Madison told him.

"Wait—us? As in me and you, both of us"?

"Yeah," Madison said sheepishly pulling a matching shirt out of her book bag. "Here, this one is yours".

"And my bare ass to kiss," Jamie said. "I'm not wearing that—why would I wear that. I'm not clean, even when I was a virgin I wasn't clean".

"Whatever that means," Madison said shrugging. "Your mom, kind of cornered me today".

"Cornered you, how"?

"She trapped me in the classroom and started talking about sex and my virtue and how my 'gift' was sacred and—".

"Oh, my god—I'm going to have be the one to give Lydia the talk," Nathan said covering his face with his hands. "We had a deal, I handle Jamie and she handle Lydia but I can't let her say all that to my daughter".

"My mom gave you the sex talk"? Jamie asked his girlfriend, utterly mortified.

"If that's what you want to call it," Madison told him. "She talked about marriage and vows, and how you can only give your special gift once, which I gave to you so I'd have to buy the next a guy a gift basket".

"I'm sorry the next guy"?

"She went on and on how special it was that she had only ever been with your dad and something about this list of all the girls he had been with before her—".

"Does she still have that"? Deb asked Nathan.

"What list"? Jamie asked.

"Your mom made your dad write a list of every girl he had sex with after she found out about Brooke and his sex tape," Lucas told him, smiling.

"You and Brooke had sex"? Madison asked, finally taking a seat next to Jamie.

"When is that going to stop coming up in a randomly normal conversation"? Nathan asked.

"When I join the clean teens" Jamie answered his father. "Which will not happen, FYI," he told his girlfriend.

"I just joined to keep your mom off my back".

And Lucas just couldn't help himself. "So, you signed up for the clean teens to keep Haley off your back to keep Jamie on it"?

Nathan groaned, Deb rolled her eyes, and Jamie snickered—all while Madison glared at her boyfriend's uncle. "What is it with this family and perverted comments"?

"We are good at few things—drinking, basketball, and sex," Lucas told her.

"Oh, really"? Madison asked. "So, how has your sex life been going lately? Or is it like your wife—non-existent"?

"God, she fits in perfectly around here," Deb said popping one of Keith's fries into her mouth.

"I am curious how does it feel when two sixteen-year-olds have more sex than you"? Jamie asked his uncle, smiling.

"He probably can't answer that," Nathan told his son. "You can read about it in his next book, though" he teased his brother.

"Now, this is how I like to get caught up on all the things I miss," Keith said smiling. "This feels more like my family, no offense to the thousand different pictures—and the fake smiles. This is the Scott's—what book"?

Lucas and Nathan couldn't help but chuckle, he had a fair point.

Before Lucas paused "I may have to issue a retraction" he said looking at the very much alive Keith. "Can you request a retraction on what most of the book revolves around—like the main characters' death"?

"Just write a sequel," Deb told him.

Keith was really interested in reading this book, and even though he was no less confused he laughed—along with everyone else at the table.

It was a strange feeling, one day he was leaving Tree Hill and the next thing he woke up in a hospital being told that seventeen years had passed. He had two options, to dwell and mop about things he couldn't change or he could embrace them. Accept them.

So, that's what he did.

He looked around the table at his nephews, all three of them. He looked at Deb, who looked like Deb but didn't act like her. The years had been kind to her, although he would never tell her that. But, aside from her looks and charisma she had become compassionate and caring, she was the only one who hadn't left his side since he woke up.

I will—I will talk to my mom, tonight I promise" Jamie told his girlfriend, as the laughter died down, his voice pulling Keith out of his own head.

"And tell her what? That we are having sex—no" Madison told her. "Haven't you dealt with enough awkward sexual encounters with your mom this year"?

"Wait—what"? Keith asked, genuinely curious by the statement.

"Haley walked in on him—by himself," Lucas said, smirking. "It was great".

"I'm glad to the jokes for that continue," Jamie said dryly as Keith burst into fits of laughter.

"Just wear this to school tomorrow," Madison said handing him the shirt.

"No".

"Okay," Madison said, her eyes awkwardly glancing over everyone else at the table. "I will make you a deal—you remember that thing that I did for you, the one that you really, really—really liked"?

Jamie paused, knowing exactly what she was talking about but relishing in her red face before he simply said "yes" with a smile.

"I will do that—again, as many times as you want if you wear this every day to school".

"I'll think about it—nope".

"Seriously"? Madison asked. "Most guys beg for that".

"I'm not most guys and I like the clothes I wear to school".

"I am so glad you two feel comfortable enough to have this conversation in front of me," Nathan said in a monotone, with the most WTF face of all time that it made Jamie laugh.

"I have to get back to the café—but this conversation is not over," Madison said as she stood up.

"It's over" Jamie assured her. "But, tell mom I said hi if you see her—love you".

"Love you" Madison called as she walked away, even though she would much rather shove a pencil in his penis.

Jamie waited until she was out of view before looking at his dad, and lucky enough he didn't have to say anything. "I will talk to your mom when we get home".

* * *

Brooke sat at the counter at Karen's café, glancing down at the paperwork the man she met with earlier had sent her home with, but she had yet to write anything down. She had yet to fill out a single letter, let alone a word.

Instead, she sat there—staring a hole through the blank spots, tapping her pen violently against the side of it.

"Earth to Brooke, Brooke"!

The fashion designer jumped and looked Peyton sitting next to her, her head tilted—confused.

"Oh," Brooke said shaking her head. "When did you get here"?

"Five or ten minutes ago," Peyton said observing her friend. "Are you okay"?

Peyton asked, but she clearly knew the answer to that particular question. It was obvious Brooke was not okay.

"Erm—yeah".

"Brooke"?

With one word, it was as if Peyton broke her best friend, although the blonde was unsure why.

"Hey, come here," Peyton said wrapping her arms around her crying friend. "Talk to me—what's wrong"?

"It's Madison," Brooke said leaning away wiping her tears from her eyes. "I just don't know what to do".

"Raising teenagers is hard".

"No, you dork" Brooke said, semi chuckling. "I was doing what you suggested, I looked into adopting her".

"And what happened"?

"And Sam happened".

Peyton didn't know it was possible to be as confused as she was, but by the time she thought of a response, Brooke was gone.

She quickly stood up and followed her best friend into the office where Brooke had crashed in the seat behind the desk digging in the bottom drawer, before pulling out a liquor bottle. Peyton shut the door behind them and sat down in the chair across from the desk—as she watched Brooke chug directly out of the bottle, for a minute too long.

"Chase really needs to get his priorities straight," Brooke said shaking her head. "He needs to get Tric back open"!

"Okay, Chase is about to have a child—his first child, his girlfriend's son is ignoring them, they are in the process of buying a new house, and Gretchen just got put on bed rest—I don't think Tric is his main problem right now".

"Well, if he wants his kid to eat it should be," Brooke said taking another gulp out of the bottle.

"Would you care to talk about what's bothering you—and how, or why it pertains to Sam"?

"Because what if Madison leaves just like Sam left or like Angie left"?

"Why would Madison leave"?

"Why wouldn't she"? Brooke asked. "I have two options take this to court and pray to God they let me continue to be her guardian but due to the conflicts of interest with Lauren, it's not likely".

"You don't know that, don't throw in the towel before you played the game".

"What"?

Peyton paused "I was married to Luke a little too long," she said shaking her head. "Don't give up before you tried. What is the second choice"?

Brooke took a swig out of the brown liquor before she said "I find her parents, her real parents. Not the ones who left her, or Lauren—her biological parents and ask them to sign their rights over, which if they are still alive and she was kidnapped why would they? Who wouldn't know their long lost daughter? I mean just look at Mouth and Lucy, he talks about her so much I forget he has Jimmie. Or they could be dead, I don't know. So, it's either a loose for me or it's a loose for her, either way, it's a loose".

Peyton looked at her distraught friend, searching for the right words but instead of speaking she took the bottle out of Brooke's hand and sat to the side.

"First of all if her parents are alive you can't assume they are going to be good people, they could be," Peyton said. "And even if they are who is she to say she would want to be with them".

"What kid wouldn't want to know her parents"? Brooke said playing with a button on her shirt. "Just look at you".

"Right! Look at me—I didn't just lose one mom, I lost two, that sucked ass".

"You spend too much time with Jamie".

Peyton chuckled. "And then my biological dad was nothing compared to my dad".

"You're talking about Mick Jagger"?

"Mick—you think that if Mick Jagger showed up and told me he was my dad, crappy dad or not I wouldn't follow him around like a puppy dog"? Peyton asked laughing. "Mick Wolf".

"Wolf, Jagger—same thing".

"Not even close, that's beside the point," Peyton said running her fingers through her hair. "You don't know what's going to happen if you were to find Maddie's parents, or what choice she would make".

"Don't I"? Brooke asked. "Sam made it, Sam left—and I didn't blame her, if someone had told me that Victoria and Ted weren't my real parents I would have left in a flash, they are good parents now and even better grandparents but when I was her age I longed for a family, it's all I ever dreamed about. But, I love Maddie—and I have to do what's best for her. Either way, I can't let her fall into the system".

* * *

"That is a stop sign, you hit the breaks when you need to stop—that's not the breaks" Mouth screeched as they flew down the off-road. "You just passed a stop sign, going twenty miles over the speed limit might I add".

"You won't stop yelling at me" Lucy Squealed.

"Did you consider it might be because you just went sixty six miles an hour past a stop sign? We just about got hit by a jacked up truck that no doubt a spoiled little country boy insisted for his birthday because an iPhone wasn't good enough"!

"You're still yelling at me"!

"I'm not yelling at you, I'm just yelling near you—just pull over, carefully, and—most people park on the road, not the sidewalk but this is fine for right now".

Lucy looked out of the corner of her eye as her dad sat back in his seat letting out a long breath, as she put the car into park—thank God.

"You're doing fine" Mouth assured his daughter as he loosened his tie, in an attempt to breathe. "Everyone has trouble in the beginning, although most people still stop at a stop sign—it being the law and all".

"I got confused".

"The break is what stops the car, the gas is what makes it go and go fast, which one do you think you put your foot on"? Mouth asked, sarcastically. "Between you and Millicent I'm destined to die in an automobile accident".

"You're yelling again".

"I'm not yelling, this is the sound of my voice when I go through a near-death experience".

They both let out a very similar, aggravated, growl at the other.

"Would you like to drive"? Lucy asked.

"I could do a better job at it".

"Maybe because you have been driving since before I was born," Lucy said. "I'm done anyways".

"We just started".

"It's kind of hard to drive when you have your dad screaming in your ear at every turn".

"Fine".

"Fine".

* * *

Chuck and Andre walked side by side as they made their way to Andre's car, as they left the gym.

"You have got to be kidding me," Chuck said shaking his head.

The closer they got the more the two realized someone was waiting for them, Chase was waiting for them. And he was standing near their transportation, so the two had nowhere to run.

"Hey, Mr. A" Andre said as they finally, and slowly approached him.

"Andre—are you going to speak to me"? Chase asked looking at Chuck. "Or are you going to continue to pretend I don't exist"?

"I'm not complaining about the results this far" Chuck said crossing his arms. "What are you doing here"?

"Your mom and I just closed on a house, we bought one so you need to come pack your things".

"Fine".

"And you will be going to the new house with us".

"I'm perfectly fine where I'm at".

"It wasn't a question or an option, Charles—this is what you're doing," Chase told the teenager.

"You're not my father, you have no right to tell me what I can or can't do or will or won't".

"No, you're right I'm not, I'm just the guy who has raised you—when your mom wasn't there and you're dad wasn't there I was. I have been there from the moment I met you, even though you have been like a thorn in my side from day one I never once left you. I have always stood up for you and fought for you, and I will continue to do so, so this is me fighting for you" Chase told him. "I am marrying your mother, you will get over it. You will stop acting like sone spoiled little—ass, and come home. Tonight. If you are not home by the time your mom and I go to bed you will find that your cell phone will be shut off and your car will be towed home, all of the things I have provided. You have spent months throwing your fit, in return, your mother has stressed and her blood pressure is high, she is so worried about you it's affecting the pregnancy. Her baby, ours. Your little brother, this is done. You will not cause her one more sleepless night, you have six hours to get home, I may not be your father but I'm the closest damn thing you will have to a dad. You're sixteen, not six Charles. It's time to act like it".

* * *

Lucas pushed his uncle's wheelchair back into the room where he had been resting his head at night.

Overall Keith had a good day, he couldn't remember the last time he smiled so much. And everyone around him thought so, too.

"I think it's safe to say I missed a lot," Kieth said as Deb and Lucas helped him into his bed. "It's been a long day".

"Unfortunately, it isn't over yet," Lucas told his uncle as he sat down. "There is a scrapbook you need to look through".

"I thought we were done for the day," Keith said, arching an eyebrow.

Jamie pulled a bright pink book out of the bag over his shoulder and handed it to Keith.

Keith looked around the room—slightly confused but more worried, he saw the tears in Debs's eyes and Lucas trembling jaw, he also saw Nathan avoiding eye contact with anything and everything. The only one who bothered to look at him was Jamie, and he knew for whatever reason it was in the book in his hands.

Keith opened the book, and on the front page he read "this baby book belongs to Lily Roe—Scott" his voice became so low no one could be entirely sure he read it until his head came up looking at Lucas. "What's this"?

"You died—or you were shot around a year or so after we decided to move," Lucas told his uncle. "In that time—you and mom got together, I mean really got together. You were going to get married and—".

"No," Keith said shaking his head. "I would remember that. That's not—".

Lucas slowly turned the page and Kieth looked down at a picture of himself and Karen—kissing. He wasn't sure how long he looked down at the picture but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from it.

"I don't understand, if we were—if she loved me she would be here, right"?

Lucas let out a shaky breath, clenching his eyes shut for just a moment fighting the tears he felt before he looked at his uncle and said "she would if she could, but mom—she passed away a few years ago" he said, his voice cracking. "And she loved you until her last—".

"She is dead"? Keith asked, his voice aching with pain. "How could—what happened"?

"She got sick, very sick and then she got better but—not for long" Lucas told him. "She collapsed one day and she told she would go down fighting, and she did. She fought for her life until the very end".

"But, the silver lining—is Lily," Deb said taking Keith's hand. "You have this beautiful, strong girl—she is perfect in every way".

"I have a daughter"?

"Yes".

"How—how old is she"?

"Sixteen," Jamie told him. "She is my age, she and my girlfriend are best friends".

Keith laid his head back against the headboard, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Thank you—all of you for today but this is a lot to digest right now—and I just need some... time. I don't—I don't know what I need. I just want to be alone if you don't care".

"Of course," Nathan said nodding.

"I will be right outside until you need me" Deb promised him.

"Wait," Keith said as they all approached the door. "Lily—will I get to meet here"?

"Of course, if she doesn't break into the hospital first," Lucas told him, smiling. "She has been impatiently waiting for you to wake up".

* * *

Jamie knocked on the door to Brooke's house, he couldn't remember the last time he used the front door—or if he ever had, or if he had ever knocked but there he stood. Knocking. Outside the front door.

And then he waited.

When the door opened there stood Madison.

"You're still wearing that damn shirt"? Jamie asked arching an eyebrow.

"I just got home from work," Madison told him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, where is Brooke"?

"Upstairs, helping the boys take a bath why do you—"?

Jamie wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist—and he kissed her. Madison melted because no matter how many times the two had sex she couldn't remember a time he kissed her like he was kissing her.

"I love you—so much" Jamie whispered in her ear. "I love teasing you, but I'm so thankful to have you in my life".

"I love you, too—where is this coming from"? Madison said cupping both sides of his cheeks with her hands. "Not that I'm complaining but—is everything okay"?

Jamie nodded, as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Yeah," he said. "Just—I was with my uncle Keith today and we had to tell him that the love of his life died. Uncle Luke explained it to me, Keith was in love with Karen for years and he finally got her, but now he doesn't even have the memories of her—I couldn't even imagine not being able to remember you".

Madison pressed her lips against Jamie's softly, brushing his.

And that's where they stayed, kissing. It felt as though forever passed, and it felt as though no time passed. For them, time stood still.

* * *

Millicent heard the door open and walked into the living room smiling when she saw her husband and his daughter.

"How did driving go"? She asked the two, excited to hear about the experience—unknown to their day.

"Awful" Mouth said.

"He wouldn't stop yelling"! Lucy told Millicent.

"I was not yelling"!

"You're yelling now—I make one little mistake—".

"You blew past a stop sign like you were auditioning for fast and furious—I own a Prius"!

"You're yelling again"!

"I'm not yelling"!

Millicent watched as Lucy stormed upstairs and her husband took off into the kitchen when she joined him she found him opening a cold beer fresh out of the refrigerator.

"She would not listen," Mouth told his wife. "I finally convinced her to try again and she sent us flying in reverse down the main street—she never even gave me time to explain what to do. I don't even think she checked her mirrors or adjusted her seat—I saw red. I don't know if it was her hair or the afterlife but I saw red. She acted like such a—".

"Teenager"? Millicent asked looking at her husband. "After all she has been through she deserves to act like a teenager".

"I could deal with a little less of it right now thank you," Mouth said. "And why are you smiling? Nothing about this afternoon has been funny, I assure you".

"I know," Millicent said wrapping her arms around Mouth's waist. "But, you two have got along—it's been awkward, but now she is finally starting to really feel like family".

Mouth paused, and he smiled sitting his beer down "she called me her dad, I mean she has called me her dad before but it's always been about searching for me or whatever but she called me her dad, today. I mean she was pissed when she said it but she called me her dad".

"In situations like this it takes time to tear down those walls but you two coming in like that—mad, and fighting, I remember arguing with my dad over the same thing. And it goes to show, she acts more like you then I feared".

Mouth pinched Millicent's side, earning a small squeal from his wife.

"And she never got a chance to be a kid, she deserves that chance now" Millicent told Mouth. "She is still just a kid, and I'm so happy that she is getting that shot—I made stir fry, you might want to take her plate up".

* * *

Nathan took the steps to his house two at a tome, after the day he had he was eager to climb into his own bed—to see his wife. But, that wasn't who he came across first. Jamie stepped out of the bathroom fresh out of the shower—his wet hair was a large indicator of that.

"Do you own a shirt"? Nathan asked.

"They ruin my selfies" Jamie joked as the two stopped in the hallway facing each other.

"You're girlfriend is okay with you posting half-naked pictures on social media"?

Jamie laughed. "My girlfriend loves my body—thank you very much. It's her lock screen on her phone".

Nathan shook his head but laughed. "Do I even want to know what it is that Madison did—that you apparently really liked"?

Jamie snickered. "Use your imagination, dad".

"That might make matters worse," Nathan said. "I'm really trying to be acceptable to your new... sex life," Nathan said shutting his eyes pretending that he didn't just say that. "But, the less I know the better".

"You don't want to share"? Jamie teased grinning. "I have this magazine and it has all these positions and tips, I can loan it to you if you want".

"I have eighteen years under my belt thank you very much—it's really sad that you need a magazine for tips but I guess that's what happens when you're a newbie".

"That eighteen years are you talking about ma, or Brooke, or Peyton—maybe Aunt Taylor—you and Quinn never—"?

"Shut up," Nathan said shoving his son's shoulder. "Go to bed instead of standing out here like David Beckham, it's killing my self-esteem".

Nathan shook his head as his teenaged son flexed while his father made his way to his bedroom.

* * *

Gretchen continued to flip through the channels on her television but found nothing even remotely interesting or anything she hadn't seen a dozen different times already. She picked up the wine glass off the side table and took a long sip of the chocolate milk inside—earning a laugh from across the room.

"What"? Gretchen asked looking at Chase who was packing up the books off the shelf.

"Is that Hershey or Nesquik"? Chase asked.

"A little bit of both, although in my mind it's Pinot Noir, would you like a sip"?

"I'm okay, you enjoy your nightcap".

Gretchen laughed and tossed a throw pillow at her fiancé before they both looked at the sound of the door opening.

"Chuck"? Gretchen asked, shocked by her son's appearance.

He stood in the doorway, with a duffel bag over his shoulder and he shrugged it off, laying it by the door.

Without any words, he sat down on the couch next to his mom and asked: "what are we watching"?

"She is watching whatever she wants," Chase told Chuck. "You are going to help me pack, maybe order a pizza"?

"Just no anchovies, alright? I can't handle your weird obsession with them this late—it makes the house stink and you'll never sell this place with that smell".

* * *

Nathan knew he promised his son he would talk to his wife, but there she stood in their bedroom—brushing her hair and all he could think about was Keith. All he could think about was Karen.

Haley.

Their love story met a tragic end, but they hadn't.

"When did you get home"? Haley asked turning around to face Nathan. "Your dinner is on the—".

Nathan cut Haley off kissing her, he lifted her up and laid her across the bed continuing to kiss her.

"I love you, Haley James—in case you didn't know that".

"I had this feeling, a hunch really but I'm glad you cleared that up for me," Haley said as she unbuttoned Nathan's shirt. "Bad day"?

"No," Nathan said shaking his head. "Just hard—I'm so glad that you decided at some point I was with loving".

"Me too".

Nathan kissed his wife and he continued to kiss her until the lights went out.

* * *

Lucas turned the light off to the kitchen and walked into his room shutting the door behind him. He began to get ready for bed, despite the long day he had—he wasn't tired but he knew he had to be up early.

He jumped at a loud noise that echoed through his room, when he looked he saw Brooke Davis knocking on his window.

Lucas laughed as he made his way over and opened the window "what the hell are you doing"? He asked.

"Are you going to stand there or help me in"?

Lucas bent down and pulled Brooke up, with all his strength—which he knew she wasn't that heavy.

"I find this ironic but my foot is caught on a bush" Brooke said as Lucas continued to pull her up.

Lucas pulled and pulled until they both tumbled to the floor—knocking down a chair and his side table with them.

"We are in our thirties—you could have just used the door," Lucas told her.

"You're in your thirties I don't age past twenty-one" Brooke corrected him as they jumped to their feet. "And I always wanted to do that, I can't recall why now—it was more fun when I could just waltz through your door but you gave your bedroom to Lily so I played out my fantasy, I don't ever see me climbing through a window again. Especially in these boots".

Lucas laughed as he sat down on his bed, Brooke sat next to him.

"Who has the boys"? Lucas asked her.

"I dropped them off with Peyton—Madison still here"?

He nodded. "She showed up with milk and cookies—is that why you're here? Milk and cookies"?

"Grown-up milk and cookies," Brooke said pulling the liquor out of the brown bag.

"You and me and Tequilla have a checkered past Brooke Davis" Lucas said smiling as he took the bottle.

"Please, we have a checkered past no matter what alcohol we chosen".

Touché.

"Madison wanted to check on Lily because she called and she was basically hyperventilating because she finally gets to meet Keith but I'm here for an entirely different reason," Brooke told Lucas. "I wanted to check on you, and make sure you were okay".

"Why wouldn't I be"?

"Well, because no matter how many times you have to break the news to someone else—it's still your mom that died and sometimes someone needs to check on you".

Lucas looked up at Brooke, who took his hand in hers—squeezing it tightly.

"It doesn't get easier" Lucas admitted. "She was my mom, she was my best friend—I don't see how it ever will".

"It won't," Brooke said. "But, I know from experience that it gets more bearable".

Lucas looked at Brooke, knowing that she was referring to her husband. It became painfully clear that the two had been through their fair share of pain—they matched so well in that area.

But, Brooke took Lucas by surprise when she placed her hand on the side of his face—sliding her fingers down his lips—and then she kissed him. She didn't know why, and he certainly didn't know why but she did.

It was brief, but it took his breath away.

Lucas cleared his throat when he felt her move away and looked at her. "I thought you were never going to talk to me again".

"I still haven't made up my mind about you Lucas Scott" Brooke told him. "But, I would never let you hurt by yourself".

And this time he kissed her, and he waited for her to push him away but she didn't.

* * *

_**Authors Note: Since I made you wait so long for not only a new chapter but when I gave you a new chapter it was really short, I tried to give you at least a little something of your favorite ships. **_

_**Just a heads up all Brooke and Lucas did was kiss. I told you would be a slow burn, but it's a start. And Brooke had to make a dramatic entrance of some sort. But, she's also going through a lot right now so I felt this was the perfect time to finally start to bring them together.**_

_**As for Mouth, He and Lucy had to drop their barriers tiptoeing around each other to bring them closer, I thought teaching her to drive what is the perfect storyline. If anyone remembers being taught to drive by your parents or by anyone, or teaching someone to drive it is a very stressful situation. So, I loved writing that storyline. **_

_**I hope I did the Keith storyline justice, I think I put off writing this chapter for so long because I wanted it to be perfect. Also didn't want it to be too serious, so I'll try to take a little pressure off of that storyline but still moving forward with it. **_

_**But, I hope you enjoyed this, Leave a review! **_

_**Until next time!**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**I'm back! **_

_**Sorry, Holidays! **_

_**Kids. Family. Too much messy clean up. :) **_

**_Anyways, on with it. This chapter picks up a couple weeks to maybe a month after the last chapter. _**

**_I had a review, that was not supposed to be answered through this chapter, but I went on and worked it into it anyways. Hopefully, this will clear a few things up._**

**_This is the first chapter of the season kick off for basketball! _**

**_Anyways, I'm not a story. Love you all._**

* * *

His lips.

Her lips.

It was all either could think about, for the majority of the day but in this current moment, it was damn near intoxicating.

Madison leaned back resting her head against the wall, but her heart continued to race—mainly because Jamie's lips never left her body. They never did. Not that she was complaining.

"We are going to be late," Madison said, her voice so soft she barely heard herself speak, the only sure-fire way she knew she had spoken was the rattle in her throat.

"We won't" Jamie assured her, his lips trailing down the side of her neck. "I promise".

"You said that this morning and we missed first period".

"As long as you don't miss yours we have nothing to stress about".

Madison chuckled, quietly.

"I'll be quick" Jamie offered as she felt his hands sliding up the back of her shirt.

"How romantic" Madison said rolling her eyes.

"Fine" Jamie said leaning up straight, so that he was now taller than she was—but bending down just enough so that his forehead was pressed against hers. "I won't be fast, I will be slow—I will take my time, I will kiss every inch of your body before we leave this room".

Madison placed a hand on each side of Jamie's face—attempting to fight every urge rolling around under her skin.

"It's not very often that we don't have to be quiet, though," Jamie said stepping back. "No one is home, everyone is at the school. We have the place to ourselves—but if you want to go we can if you want to waste this opportunity. I mean for once I wouldn't have to leave my pants around my ankles in case someone walked in—but if you don't want to have sex, longer than five minutes that's fine".

Oh, this man—he was good. Too good.

And a little too cocky, by the smile on his face, he knew that.

"You're an ass," Madison said.

But, she didn't give him time to respond before closing the space between them and pressing her lips to his, almost violently. The two hit the bed, and their clothes hit the floor.

* * *

Children, teenagers, parents, grandparents—and ninety percent of Tree Hilo's populations made their way into the high school gym to celebrate the start of the basketball season.

As Brooke walked into the gymnasium with Haley she couldn't help but chuckle silently to herself at the thought of a tourist passing through Tree Hill on this night. It resembled nothing more than a ghost town.

Perhaps they loved basketball, perhaps it was a family tradition to that they attend, or perhaps there was nothing better to do on a Saturday night when most of Tree Hill's establishments were closed until the night was overdue to the attendance so they had no choice but to come. But, for whatever the reason was the seats began to fill up, rather quickly despite the small-town community charm.

"Blach" Brooke said as quickly chewed and swallowed the piece of popcorn she had tossed into her mouth. "I overstated my popcorn" she complained to Haley. "Trade me"?

"Trade you my over buttered popcorn for your over-salted"? Haley asked. "Deal".

As if it had been an actual question.

The two best friends traded the red and white striped bags diving mouth first into the goodness inside.

"Who are you looking for"? Haley asked.

Brooke hadn't realized that she had in fact been looking around until it was pointed out to her.

"No one" she muttered, her eyes falling down into her bag of popcorn—attempting to find the piece of corn with the most butter.

"No one wouldn't happen to wear too many necklaces and jeans a size or two to tight would he"? Haley asked, grinning—though Brooke didn't know that, considering she didn't lookup.

"Harry Styles is here"? Brooke asked shooting her head up, though joking she played the part fairly well.

Haley rolled her eyes. "You can't avoid him forever".

"I'm not—I got his autograph at his last concert".

"Brooke" Haley moaned. "You know good and well I'm not talking about a boy band rockstar—although I'm starting to see the similarities between him and Luke and it frightens me".

"You know what frightens me"?

"What"?

"You using words like frighten, I feel like I'm in a Steven King novel".

Haley rolled her eyes. "It amazes me you even know who that is—and I'm a teacher and frightened is not a strange word just because it isn't in your very limited vocabulary".

Brooke tossed a few shreds of popcorn at her best friend, but Haley barely felt the small pieces hit the side of her head.

"You can't avoid him forever—or Peyton for that matter," Haley told Brooke.

"Those are two entirely different situations".

"How is that? You're avoiding Luke because you kissed, and you're avoiding Peyton why? Oh, because you kissed Luke—and you haven't told her".

"I haven't told her because I haven't talked to Luke and I haven't talked to Luke because if I'm being honest I don't know what the kiss means" Brooke explained. "Don't get me wrong, it was a great kiss. But, I don't know—".

"Do you regret the kiss"?

"No, of course, I don't I just—I can't help but think of Julian".

Haley stopped walking and Brooke repeated their action, turning to face her friend.

"Brooke, Julian would want you to be happy," Haley told her. "Wouldn't you if the roles were reversed"?

"No," Brooke said folding her arms. "Okay, maybe—I don't know, what would you do"?

Haley paused. "Honestly, I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but Nathan—if something were to happen him but I know he wouldn't want me to live in the pain of his death forever. I think it's different when you're older, but you're not. Brooke, you're young and healthy and you deserve to be happy and if Lucas is going to be the cause of that happiness then you need to stop worrying about Julian. You mourned him, I was there—you cried, you couldn't even stay in Tree Hill for months because your grief was so strong, but you can't let that pain dictate the rest of your life. You want a family, I know you. So, if it's Luke fine—if it's not that's fine, too. But, you're Brooke freaking Davis, you're not meant to spend the rest of your life alone".

"And all these years I thought it was Penelope," Brooke said smiling. "Thanks, tutor girl".

"When exactly is that nickname going to die"?

"Probably around the same time Jamie's great-grandchild gets married".

"Wonderful".

"Is that—is that Keith"? Brooke asked pointing.

Haley looked up to see Deb sitting next to Keith on the bleachers—adjusting a rather large hat on his head.

"Oh, my god," Haley said.

The two rushed over to the spot where Deb and Keith sat on the bleachers, both of them more eager than the other to see Kieth.

"Keith," Haley said, a little too excited by his sudden appearance.

"You know who I am"? Keith asked them. "You can recognize me"?

Brooke and Haley glanced at each other before they both nodded.

"Was we not supposed to"? Brooke asked.

"Damn it," Keith said. "I'm supposed to be incognito, but they knew who I was from across the room".

"Maybe they just know you that well" Deb suggested.

"Or maybe it's that damn hat," Brooke told him. "You look like you're trying to be both Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams—which didn't work on the voice so it isn't going to work in your poor wardrobe choices".

"Who"? Keith asked.

"When we are done here you and I are going to binge-watch the voice".

"The—the what"? Keith asked looking at Deb. "What in God's name is she talking about"?

"Why are you dressing up... incognito"? Haley asked, fighting the laugh that she wanted to let out.

"He wanted to see Lily" Deb explained.

"And that requires the world's worst Halloween costume because"? Brooke asked.

"He wanted to see her play, they have texted while he is been at the rehabilitation hospital—but he wanted to see her play and if she knows he is here she might not play," Deb said. "Or she might be so distracted she might not be able to play well at least".

"If you don't want her to know you're here I would take off that hat" Brooke suggested. "You look like you're going to jump up during a half time and pull a damn bunny out of it".

Keith tore the hat off of his head, as Deb and Haley laughed.

"It's good to see that you're still the same Brooke Davis," Keith said shaking his head but smiling.

"I age like wine" Brooke informed him.

"More like milk," Keith told her.

Haley laughed as Brooke scowled at Keith before the two girls sat down on the bleacher below Keith and Deb.

"It is good to see you," Brooke told Keith, smiling at him. "How are you feeling"?

"Better—ish"? Keith told her. "I never thought there would be a day where I would have to use a cane to walk because I took a nap".

"A nap? Your legs haven't been used for seventeen years" Deb told him. "He has been doing excellent, he has made great progress. The first day he couldn't even stand and just a couple weeks in and he is already walking by himself".

"Keith that's great," Haley said. "Deb is right".

"There's a sentence I never thought I would hear" Brooke commented.

"The doctors told him that if he could walk for twenty minutes standing up he could come to this, and he would be discharged," Deb said, ignoring Brooke. "He wanted to see Lily and he worked so hard to do it".

"I know she was disappointed whenever you got transferred to a hospital out of the state," Brooke said.

"But, it was the best—we explained that to her," Haley told Keith. "And you needed the best, now look at you. You're walking—you're here. She will be so ecstatic to see you".

"I can't wait to see her, but I want to wait until after," Keith said. "I thought she would be a cheerleader or something, as her mom".

"She might look like Karen but that girl is a Scott through and through," Brooke said pointing.

"And if anyone knows anything about Scott's it's Brooke," Haley said—teasing.

"Nathan is this close" Brooke said holding her index finger just a hair above her thumb looking at Haley "to joining me on the dead spouse train—and unlike Keith, you won't come back from the dead".

"Technically, I never died," Keith said. "It doesn't logically make sense to use that term, no one can come back from the dead".

"But, it makes you sound more of a badass".

Keith paused. "Carry on, I came back from the dead—I'm indestructible".

"You're like a superhero in Levi's," Brooke said nodding.

"Oh, god," Deb said rolling her eyes.

"Are you nervous"? Haley asked interrupting Brooke and Keith's shenanigans before it went too far, as she assumed it would with Brooke involved. "About meeting Lily"?

"I don't know," Keith said, honestly. "I guess I am, but it all just feels so surreal to me—it doesn't feel real. But, I know it is. I have missed everything, her first word, the first time she walked or ran or rode a bike or drove, I don't know even know who taught her to drive—".

"Peyton," Brooke said. "Lucas tried, and he came back drunk".

Keith chuckled. "I feel like I ask everyone this—but what's she like"?

"A pain in the ass" Brooke said without hesitation.

"What do you say about me when I'm not around"? Haley asked.

"Nothing I wouldn't say to your face," Brooke told Haley with a simple shrug before turning to Keith. "Everyone has probably told you all the good things about Lily, well I'm here to tell you of all the bad. She doesn't listen, to anyone. She knows what she wants, and she will go through anyone to get it. Her mouth has no filter, she is spoiled and entitled—oh, my god. She is just like I was".

Haley couldn't help but laugh as Brooke came to the realization—and Keith sat back, slightly nauseated.

* * *

It had been a long time since Lucas had been in a sweaty boy's locker room, with the anticipation of a game hanging over the room. Although, it didn't feel much like he remembered.

"We are going to destroy them".

Now, it felt like he remembered.

Lucas couldn't be sure which of the boys made the remark from across the room in the midst of all the guys, he assumed it was one of the freshmen. The squeaky voice made it a very good assumption, he remembered fairly well how excited he was that he no longer sounded like he had a frog stuck in his throat by the end of summer before his sophomore year.

"Just remember," Lucas said holding his finger up. "You are technically playing against your own team—we are playing the lady ravens so—".

"Take it easy on them"? Chuck asked crossing his arms as he leaned against the locker. "Yeah, right. Lily owes me a month of doing my laundry if we win".

"I was ready to give a speech—but I'm suddenly remembering I live with Lily and I have smelled your clothes," Lucas said shaking his head. "But, no don't take it easy on them—I want you to treat this like any other game. Trust me, I have seen those girls play and they can kick half of your asses with their eyes closed, which is why some of you might find yourselves on the bench".

"If this isn't a real game—what is the point in all this"? One of the seniors in the back asked.

But, the eighteen-year-old suddenly wished he hadn't when everyone turned around and stared at him.

"You just moved here didn't you"? Lucas asked tilting his head.

"Yeah, end of last year—how did you know that? I never told you that" he said to Lucas.

"Wild guess" Lucas told him sarcastically. "It's Aden right"?

"Yeah".

Lucas wanted to kick himself for not especially remembering everyone's name, but now wasn't the time for that. He was sure he would forget later, but he wasn't too stressed about it.

"We start every basketball season with a celebration of some sort about every year," Lucas told him. "It's been a tradition as long as I have been alive, but this year we are doing something a little different. I'm the coach of the guy's team, and my brother is the coach of the girl's team so this year we decided to have a game. The girls against the guys, a little friendly competition".

"So, you had nights like these when you were in high school"?

"Sure did".

"What year stands out the most"? One of the boys asked.

"Easy, midnight madness" Lucas said without blinking.

"What makes that year different"? Aiden asked.

"Don't you boys need to get ready"? Lucas asked in an attempt to avoid the question.

"There was a fight," Chuck said.

"It's legendary," Aaron told him. "Didn't you fight Coach Scott—the other Coach Scott"?

"And the cheerleaders, too," Andre said. "Is it true your ex-wife kicked the mascot"?

"I heard you broke Nathan's jaw"?

"I heard Nathan made you his bitch".

"I thought you both ganged up on your dad".

"I thought the cheerleaders kicked the basketball teams ass"!

Welcome, to Tree Hill.

"Whoa! Whoa! Look, there was a fight" Lucas said. "I was a senior—that's all you need to know but I can easily tell none of you read my book. Nathan couldn't kick my ass if he wanted to, and he has tried on more than one occasion. Finish getting ready, we have a game to win".

"This is going to be easier than practice," Bentley said from the back.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that" they heard as Nathan stepped in. "I have coached this team through many championships, now I'm coaching the girls and I say you got a hell of a fight on your hands".

"I say you need to re-evaluate," Lucas told his little brother. "I got the son of a former NBA superstar on my team".

Lucas expected a groan from Jamie, an eye roll, or a sarcastic comment but was shocked when he heard nothing.

As was Nathan.

The two both looked back at the team to find one person noticeably missing.

"Where is my son"? Nathan asked his brother.

"He is your son why are you looking at me"? Lucas asked. "I know where my daughter is".

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Has anyone seen Jamie"?

"Not since this morning," Andre told him.

Nathan shook his head before he and Lucas quickly made their way out into the hallway.

"He is a little late—no big deal," Lucas said pulling his phone out. "I will call him".

"Yeah, except Madison is also not here yet".

Lucas had a response but didn't have time to give as the brothers turned the corner nearly smacking into the very person they were on the hunt for.

"Where have you been"? Nathan asked, without taking a second to even digest his presence.

"I'm late"?

"You being late wouldn't have anything to do with the lipstick on your neck would it"? Nathan asked though he was sure he knew the answer.

Jamie took a quick glance in the mirror across the hall to see that his father was right, and his hand immediately went up to his neck in an effort to remove the red stain.

"Don't look at me like that" Jamie told his dad. "You know Madison and I have sex".

"I do," Nathan said. "But, I also know you told me you want to make a career out of basketball but you can't do that if you're off somewhere screwing and late for every game".

"It's not like it's even a real game, I wouldn't have done it if it was a real game," Jamie told him. "It's just some crazy traditional celebration and we happen to be playing a game. You're making this into a way bigger deal than it is".

"Real game or not I want you to bring your A-game," Lucas said before Nathan fired back with anything else. "You got it"?

" Yeah, I already spanked her ass once tonight I don't care to do it again," Jamie said with a hint of a smile.

"Just go get ready," Lucas told him pointing down the hallway and Jamie followed in the direction of his uncle's finger. "And wash that damn lipstick off".

Once Jamie disappeared Lucas turned to find his brother with his head pressed against the wall, he was sure it wasn't for fun.

"You alright"?

"I'm really worried that one day he is going to come up to me and tell me he is into BDSM" Nathan said standing up straight running his fingers through his hair.

"Relax, he is a teenager—he is probably more talk than anything and besides—I thought you were okay with him having sex. Or you seemed to like it".

"I was—I am," Nathan said. "I mean I'm not cheering him on from the sidelines but I support my son and his right to be sexually active".

Lucas crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow, in slight confusion by his brother.

"Are you high"? Lucas finally asked though he was sure he had been curious for some time—or as long as he had known him.

"I saw them," Nathan said shutting his eyes tightly. "I took Jamie's laundry upstairs to his room and I saw them through the window—at Brooke's. They were canoodling, and I think I have PTSD".

"Wait—you saw them"? Lucas asked, trying his best not to laugh—though by the look Nathan gave him he was sure he was failing.

"Yes, and now every time sex gets brought up I get this visual in my head of my son and it's traumatizing. At least before I knew but I didn't know—know you know"? Nathan asked pacing back and forth. "And the worst part my sixteen-year-old son was breaking our moves I have never seen before and I partially want to ask him about it"!

"How long did you stand there and watch"? Lucas asked. "Long enough to get on some list so the town knows you're house is the house kids run-up to and ring the doorbell as a dare"?

"I barely got a glimpse all I am saying is a sixteen-year-old boy shouldn't know how to do things like that"! Nathan said. "I don't ever think my body has moved like that".

"Is this your way of trying to convince me you're not a pervert"?

"You're not funny"! Nathan said. "I walked in his bedroom, set the basket down on the bed, looked up—saw what I saw, probably looked for less than five seconds and ran like hell. I didn't even see Madison—thank God, but I saw him and it's wigged me out".

"Wigged you out"?

"I literally don't know how else to describe it".

"Okay," Lucas said holding his hands up. "Since you have talked in circles, about things you should really only tell a licensed therapist, let me just make sure I got the gist of this. You were okay with Jamie having sex, you're still okay with it—you support it or whatever but now it freaks you out because you saw it, but he doesn't know that you saw it—you just said it was less than five seconds maybe they weren't doing what you thought they were doing".

"There was thrusting and trust me only one thing feels good enough for a man to make that face, every man makes that same facial—whatever".

"Kind of curious how you know that but moving on, maybe you should talk to him"? Lucas suggested.

"He is sixteen, and he is starting to confide in me about things and wants to talk to me like he did when he was a kid—but now it's about things that are important to him. He doesn't talk to me about just sex, he tells me about Madison, and school—college, he wants to hang out at the river court and wants me to go with him just to pick out some new shoes before the season starts. We listen to music and go out to eat, it's not even like he is my kid anymore—he treats me like a friend".

"So, you don't want to tell him you saw him having sex because you will no longer be the favorite parent"? Lucas asked with half a smile.

"You try being in competition with Haley and tell me what it's like, it's rough out here for a thug".

"What tv shows do you watch"?

"Jamie had jersey shore on last night it's the one where Snooki—".

"I'm starting to think it's because you feel like a teenager again".

Nathan chuckled. "It's honestly, I don't want it to be weird. He is leaving for college in two and a half years, he turns eighteen soon a year and a half. I just want time with my kid, but if I tell him he might get awkward and not want to hang out with me anymore".

"Oh, you're worried he won't ask you to homecoming"? Lucas asked.

"Oh, shut up," Nathan said shoving his brother, though it barely affected him.

"Look, Nate, I get it. You want to spend time with Jamie but if you're acting weird like you just did with him he is going to start picking up on it. You either need to tell him or you need to get your feelings in check".

"What would you do"?

"Me? Oh, I wouldn't have looked out the window".

Nathan hated his brother sometimes.

"I'm actually genuinely concerned," Lucas said folding his arms. "If this is what you're like—what is Haley going to be like when she finds out Jamie is having sex"?

Nathan responded, "I'm praying we don't cross that road until his wedding night".

* * *

Madison walked into the girl's locker, or sprinted was more of an accurate description but luckily enough everyone was still getting ready. She hated being late—she hated Jamie for making her late, but she didn't hate it that much.

The sixteen-year-old girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear attempting not to smile as she reflected back on the past hour of her life, she tried and failed.

Madison wasn't shocked when she walked to her locker and found Lily standing next to her, their lockers were side by side after all. But, she was surprised when she saw her best friend staring down at the phone in her hand. Not that having her phone glued to her hand wasn't out of the ordinary but the look on her face was.

"Is everything okay"? Madison asked.

Lily looked up, completely unaware that when Madison had come in, and a little taken back by her question causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. "Erm—yeah, it's just my dad," she said. "I will never get tired of saying that".

Madison smiled. "What is it"?

"We have been texting and he just read my message and didn't text me back," Lily told her sitting her phone down inside her locker. "I just hope nothing is wrong".

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Madison said smiling. "He is new to technology, it's probably an honest mistake or you said he has physical therapy right? Maybe he is doing that or his phone died, it's probably something completely minor".

"I agree" the two heard and looked up to see Lucy standing in front of them, hands on her hips which ironically wasn't too far from the bottom of her skirt. "No one told me that becoming a cheerleader means you have to dress like a slut".

Madison and Lily giggle slightly at their friend.

"You look—peppy" Lily said smiling. "Quick Maddie—spirit fingers".

Lucy rolled her eyes as her two friends wiggles their fingers around, proving them the worst possible people to every be cheerleaders.

"I have a couple of spirit fingers for you two," Lucy said with a sly smile."I feel ridiculous".

"Then why did you join if you hate it so bad"? Madison asked.

"My mom was a cheerleader".

"Your mom was also a slut," Lily told her.

"Not my birth mom, my adopted. The woman who raised me before she died, before I went into foster care. She was a cheerleader and homecoming queen and prom queen and valedictorian and president of the student body—".

"God, did she sleep any during high school"? Lily asked, slightly curious.

Lucy chuckled. "I don't know—but even though I have my dad now I still want to feel connected to her, even though I'm not her biological daughter I want to follow in her footsteps if I can. It probably sounds stupid".

"Not at all" Lily assured her.

Madison paused for a split second. "Speaking of parents who aren't really your parents," she said lowering her voice so that only her two best friends could hear. "Brooke has searched high and low for my parents, we have sent off everything trying to find them. But, no luck".

"I thought she was awarded custody of you at the hearing".

"It's still no more than temporary custody," Madison told them. "Which basically means anytime they want the state can come in and take me, Brooke wants to adopt me, I could have a real family but with the possibility of the state just one day deciding she isn't fit or wants to move me for whatever reason we want to find my parents to make it legal".

"You look like you have an idea," Lily said folding her arms.

"Well, no one knows anything about my parents—except my parents".

"Huh"? Lucy asked, way more than confused.

"She means the people she thought were her parents, the ones who abandon her when Lauren took her," Lily said shocked that she even understood.

"Exactly"! Madison said. "They would have to know something—right"?

"I do not like where you are going with this" Lily told her.

"What if I went and ask them"? Madison suggested. "I mean what harm could come from that"?

"And how can you trust them, they kidnapped you—".

"We don't know that for sure".

"They are on death row, for god knows what," Lily said shrugging. "And you just want to walk into a penitentiary and say hey by the way before you did for some heinous crime do you care to tell me who my parents are"?

"It's not just about that" Madison told them as she began to change into her basketball uniform. "I don't know who I am, I know nothing about myself or my heritage—I don't even know where I am from".

"I thought you were a Latino," Lily said.

"Spanish and Latino are different" Lucy told her. "My dad said you were from Spain".

"That's the point I don't know," Madison said.

"But, Jamie calls you a Latino" Lily said.

"It's kind of an ongoing joke between Jamie and me, he always said I looked less like Penelope Cruz and more like JLO, so that's why he calls me a Latino".

"I'm partial to Camila Cabello myself" Lily said.

Lucy shook her head "I get Demi Lovato vibes" she told them.

"Exactly"! Madison said. "What if I'm not Spanish? I could be American and just really tan, and I wouldn't even know it. Or what if the reason I'm not in any database, anywhere is that I was born to two parents who were here illegally? I don't know. No one does, but two people—".

"Might, they might know and that's a big might?" Lucy told her.

"I know, but it's all I got. I have been kidnapped twice in my life and literally have no recollection of either of the occurrences".

"God, you and Jamie were made for each other" Lily said pressing her head against the locker.

Truer words had never been spoken.

"I just want to know who I am, and this might be my only opportunity to do that—I already checked their scheduled execution is in four days".

Lily looked up and she looked at Lucy, and then she looked at Madison.

"Whose car are we taking"? Lily asked.

"Yours doesn't have a GPS, mine does," Madison told her. "It's a sixteen-hour drive from here".

"We would have to leave in the middle of the night to get enough of a head start before we got caught," Lucy told them.

"My house is the easiest to sneak out of," Lily said. "And Luke is the easiest to get past—sleepover? My place"?

"You don't want to ask Jamie if he wants to go"? Lucy asked.

"No" Lily answered for her. "Luke will ground me, and there is no telling what Brooke will do to her—but Jamie can't get in trouble for this. Nathan and Haley would keep him off the team for the rest of the year".

"Basketball is just a sport to you, but it's Jamie's dream—I'm not taking that away from him," Madison said.

"Are you sure you want to go"? Lily asked Lucy. "You will probably get in trouble too"?

"I can handle it, Madison needs her girls to back her up when she goes in there".

Madison took both Lucy and Lily's hands in her own, and squeezed them tightly. "I don't know what I would do without you two—and I didn't even have you a year ago".

* * *

_**A/N I really hope this helped clear up anything about Madison's heritage. This was supposed to be at the end of the next chapter, I was just about to post this chapter when I got a review, so I worked it into this chapter. **_

_**Also, what are the girls thinking! Aghhh! **_

**_But, the next chapter will be solely focused on the game. It's this generations midnight madness. This time you will get to see the parents on the bleachers. And don't worry, there will be a fight._**

**_Keith is GOING to meet his daughter in the next chapter! For certain! I keep planning it, and planning it, and nothing seemed good enough for that moment. But, it will for sure happen in the next chapter. But, he isn't letting her know that he is there because he wants to watch her play, he wants to see her in action before he meets her. He just felt she either wouldn't be able to play as well as she can being preoccupied if she knew he was there, or she would have played at all. And we can all assume it's the second one, Lily would have no doubt not played. _**

**_I am pressing pause on the surrogacy storyline for quite a few chapters there is going to be a lot going on, but it's really interesting because it's going to surround the teenagers. But, the fun part is you get to see it through characters that have done things pretty similar to what they are doing, but now you get to see how they respond as parents. And of course they also got their own drama. _**

**_Like I said above this chapter took place somewhere between two weeks in a month after the last. Keith spent that time in a rehabilitation center, so that is why he has not been able to meet his daughter yet._**

**_Also! Just so there is no question I wanted to go on and clear up that the whole Nathan part, he walked into his sons bedroom and looked up and through the window saw them across the street at Brooke's house in Madison's room! The conversation just took a weird turn between the Scott brothers, it was more of me trying to show Nathan's freak out over it. His "melt down" of sorts.  
The next chapter will be so much better, not 100 percent pleased with this one but it was more of just a filler for next chapter! _**

**_Leave a Review! Much love! Thanks for reading. _**


	21. Chapter 21

_**I'm back! **_

_**I am sorry its taken so long for an update, life gets in the way from time to time!**_

**_Here is your new chapter! _**

* * *

Nathan Scott was angry, scratch that—pissed off, at the very least. Furious. Although, he could feel his inner seventeen-year-old self being somewhat proud—hell the teenager inside him was jumping around pumping fists in the air, but his thirty-four-year-old self told the pipsqueak to sit down and shut up.

On the bleachers sat a group of teenagers, not in the best of the shape—in the middle sat one he knew better than others.

Jamie.

Of all people, he sat with an ice pack attached to his hand—and a black bruise on the side of his cheek, he could easily tell whoever got a swing on his son missed their target by less than two centimeters.

Chuck, who sat to Jamie's right, however—had a shiner to his eye.

On Jamie's left sat Madison, Lily, and Lucy—in that exact order. Each one had a cut and bruise of their very own, nothing too bad worth mentioning—though Madison had her head rested against Jamie's shoulder. Nathan wasn't sure if it was the game or the fight that was causing her exhaustion—he assumed it was a mix of both.

Next to Lucy was Andre, who was massaging his jaw, presumably from a fish gone awry.

They sat in a large group of their peers, basketball players from the boy's team and the girls, and the cheerleaders even. But, those were the six that stood out to Nathan the most.

"Exactly—how are we supposed to handle this"? Nathan heard and looked over to see his brother standing alongside of him. "Go over there, yell—scream"?

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know, what did you see"?

Lucas scoffed. "I saw your kid throw a hell of a right hook into Bentley," he told his brother.

"Do we know what happened"?

"Who cares"? The two heard as Haley walked over with Brooke and Peyton in tow.

"I'm sorry—what"? Skills asked as he walked over with Mouth and Millie. "What if it's justified? What if—"?

"They just had a full-blown riot in the middle of the gym—during a friendly competition between the girls and guys team, and you want to know if it was justified"? Haley snapped. "This was ridiculous their behavior was—".

"Was just like us?" Brooke said with an eye roll.

"Excuse me"? Haley asked with an eyebrow raise.

"Mid-nigh madness anyone"? Brooke asked. "This was the sequel".

"And Jamie was the star of the show," Nathan said shaking his head.

"Then instead of standing here let's find out what happened," Peyton told them.

Lucas walked over clapping his hand to get the group of teenagers' attention. "Everyone is free to go—punishments will be handed on Monday," he said. "You May be benched, sit out a game—you will know by Monday afternoon".

The teenagers all jumped to their feet each one rushing to the door faster than the other.

"Scott," Nathan said so loudly it echoed. "Fields. Scolnik. Mcfadden. Landry. If your last name is any of what I just called—park your ass".

Jamie's back was to his father, but Nathan swore he saw him roll his eyes so hard it could have broken his spine.

"Now," Nathan said harshly and loudly causing his voice to echo through the gym.

They each turned around, despite the snickers and teases from their teammates—but Nathan only locked eyes with one—his son. He assumed by Jamie's facial expression he wasn't pleased with his father's little announcement.

But, Nathan shrugged it off.

Lucas waited, he waited for the rest of the many teenagers to leave, or disappear before walking over to the group.

"So, which one of you is going to tell us what happened"? Lucas asked folding his arms.

No one spoke. No one so much as looked up.

"Let me rephrase that because I am guessing they didn't get the message," Nathan said walking over. "We are not leaving here—until you tell us what the hell happened out there, we will stay here all night if we have to. Now, it's illegal to keep the rest of them—but you all belong to at least one person here, or have some sort of legal guardian—whatever, the point is we are are going to sit here until you start talking".

Yet again—no one spoke. The gymnasium was quoted than Nathan had ever remembered it being, but he stood there, arms crossed—waiting.

"If someone doesn't start talking—not playing basketball will be the least of your worries" Brooke warned.

"What does it matter"? Jamie asked shrugging. "It's done—over with, there is no point in sitting here and going over it when it's already happened. It's stupid".

"You better watch yourself" Nathan warmed him. "You are supposed to be playing on a team and instead you turn around and cold cock one of your teammates, someone you are supposed to work with—depend on, trust. So, I want a damn good explanation for why you decided that the ridiculous behavior you displayed was appropriate".

Jamie didn't answer his father, though he looked up with a glare that could cut glass. But, instead, he scoffed and shook his head.

"Whatever it is that you have to say—spit it out, James".

Jamie knew growing up that when either of his parents called him by that name, but this particular night he just didn't seem to care. "That's a nice speech you just gave—Nathan," he said his father's name—just to get under his old man's skin. "But, it's a little hypocritical don't you think"?

"Excuse me"?

"C'mon dad, you don't think I haven't heard all the stories about you when you were my age. The cheerleaders, the drinking, the partying—the fights. How many people in this room have you swung on? I know uncle Lucas—didn't you hit Mouth once, too? Isn't that how he got the nickname 'Mouth'—it's real rich getting a lecture from the former bully of the group".

Nathan could feel his blood boiling, but most of all his wife could see it—or he got the sense that she did when Haley took his hand in hers, to calm him maybe.

"You won't speak to your dad that way," Haley told him.

"It's true, though," Lily said. "You all are standing there as you have never got into a fight or something—".

"We aren't here to talk about our behavior, we are here to talk about yours"! Brooke said. "We made mistakes in high school, and we learned from them, now we want to teach you".

"Maybe we don't want you to teach us"! Madison said. "We earn the right to make our own mistakes".

"Did any of you ever get punished for yours"? Andre asked. "And you all turned out just fine".

"Charles"!

"You have got to be kidding me," Chuck said laying his head in his hands.

Gretchen came storming in, with Chase closely in tow. "Grounded," she said. "And that's to start off—".

"Who called her"? Chuck demanded.

But, no one fessed up—no one knew. The adults all glanced but they talked about calling her, decided against it due to her fragile pregnancy—so it was a shock to them as well

"What's going on"? Gretchen asked looking around. "Is he knew trouble"?

"If you don't know why are you here"? Peyton asked.

"The motorcycle"! Gretchen said—harshly looking at her son. "We are moving, and you didn't think we would find it—we had to clean out the shed at some point".

Chuck looked at Jamie, "you better claim it" he whispered. "I can't take the fall for that—".

"My mom will freak out" Jamie whispered.

"What do you think his mom is doing"? Madison asked.

"Well, she is already crazy," Jamie told her.

"Charles"! Gretchen demanded. "Explain".

Chuck, at a loss for words—was a first.

Jamie wished for just once in his life he didn't care what happened to others, but he wasn't that person.

Damn it.

"Don't get mad at him?" Jamie said. "It's—it's not his".

Jamie opted not to look up at his parents, he could very well guess they were looking at him—probably behind death glares.

"What—what do you mean it's not his"? Haley asked. "If it's not his—whose is it"?

Lucas covered his mouth, he half wanted to walk away and call it a night—address everything in the morning, but he felt it was best that he stay—for Jamie's safety.

"It's—it's mine," Jamie said slowly.

"You have a motorcycle"? Haley asked, not the nicest voice she had ever used either. "Do you know how dangerous those things are"?

"It's no more dangerous than driving or riding a plane—".

"This couldn't get any worse" Lucy whispered shaking her head.

Andre chuckled. "Give it a minute".

"Do you think just because you're sixteen you can do whatever you want"? Nathan yelled at his son. "You go out and drink—".

"Would you pick a side with that"? Jamie snapped. "One week you're fine because I did it responsibly and the next your pissed about it, just in time for you to use it against me"!

Haley nodded. "I'm actually with him on that".

"Whatever, you smoked weed—".

"A few times through the summer" Jamie quickly defended himself, but then paused. "How—how do you know about that"?

"Brooke and Lucas found it in your room," Nathan said without hesitation.

Jamie jumped to his feet and looked at his uncle. "You two were snooping through my room—when I tell you mostly everything anyways"?

"Now, calm down it wasn't like that—" Lucas said.

"It doesn't matter what it was or wasn't like," Haley told him. "You' re—you have made quite a few questionable changes in your life recently".

"She is right the drinking, the smoking, the tattoos, the bad attitude, the sex—" Nathan began listing.

"The what"? Haley asked turning from her husband to her son. "Sex? Whose having sex"?

"Wait, what"? Chuck asked and looked at Andre, whose mouth was hanging wide open.

Jamie looked back at Madison, who had gone beet red, though she didn't wait around. Instead, she darted out of the room as fast as her legs would let her go.

"Anyone else's business you would like to blurt out"? Jamie yelled at his dad.

"You are my business"!

"I am—maybe, yes but that isn't just my business"! Jamie told him. "I confided in you about something, personal. That's my sex life, you can't just go announcing it like that".

"You're too young for a sex life" Haley scoffed. "This is a joke—this doesn't make sense".

"I'm sixteen," Jamie told her. "I'm a year younger than you were, and a year older than dad was—now I am going to go check on my girlfriend, who dad just humiliated".

Nathan watched his son walk away in the same direction Madison had went, and he honestly felt bad about it.

As he slowly reeled in from the aftermath, he could remember himself saying everything—but it was as if he had no control between his thoughts and his mouth.

"Should I—"? He asked looking at Lucas.

"I really think you have done enough," Lucas said.

Nathan nodded, he really had.

But, when he looked away from his brother—he saw his wife, he saw her face—her confusion, her hurt.

"Hales—".

"You—you knew they were having sex, and you didn't tell me"? She asked. "We will talk about this later".

"I can't believe he told his dad and not us," Chuck said.

* * *

Madison felt the cool air hit her face as she stepped outside of the school—and she just stood there, with her hands on her hips, inhaling the fresh air.

She was embarrassed, she was angry, upset—hurt if it was possible to feel every emotion known to man that was what she was experiencing at this moment.

"I'm—I'm so sorry" Madison heard.

She didn't have to turn around to know Jamie was directly behind her, but the feeling of him wrapping his arms around her waist—told her so. She leaned back, into his body—resting.

"It's not your fault," she said. "I knew everyone would find out, but—there are parts of our relationship that I just want to keep between us".

"I shouldn't have told him".

Madison turned around and wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck. "He is your dad, and I know Nathan didn't mean to just say it like that, in front of everyone—he was mad, but I want you to have a relationship with your father. I have heard all the stories about the relationship Nathan didn't have with your grandfather, I don't want that for you—just please tell me you didn't tell him anything past that"?

Jamie looked down, and through the dark sky, he could barely see her face—the shimmer of the street light was all that kept her visible. "What"? He asked.

"You didn't go into—details"? She asked.

Jamie smiled. "No," he said as he slowly backed her into the wall. "I wouldn't share those—I keep those thoughts all for myself".

Madison smiled as Jamie pressed his lips against her neck. "Good".

"Especially—that thing that you like so much".

Madison bit down on her lip, as she felt Jamie's lips trail down her neck, and his hand slip up the back of her shirt.

"We need to go back inside".

"Do we"? He asked as his finger trailed up her spine, causing a tingle to run through her veins.

"Your mom—Haley knows we have had sex".

"And that will still be the same in the morning," Jamie said standing up straight, lifting Madison up.

Madison smiled, as she wrapped her legs around her boyfriend's torso, trying not to think of all the ways this could go wrong. "We are right outside the school—in trouble, and you want to have sex"? She asked.

"I have a car—we could leave".

"We will get in trouble".

"We are already in trouble, at least let's go out with a bang—pun intended".

Jamie sat Madison flat on her feet, and the two took off hand in hand, as fast as they could.

* * *

"They aren't talking," Brooke said, folding her arms as she stood looking with her friends—all looking at the four teenagers left that sat on the bleachers. "What do we do"?

"We could make the rest of the teams come back" Peyton suggested. "Someone has to talk".

"That will end the same way this is—just more teenagers who are pretending not to know a damn thing," Lucas told his ex-wife.

"I say we dismiss them—break off the weakest link" Mouth said and nodded his head at his daughter. "Lucy will fold, get her out of Andre and Lily's protection—she'll spill".

Everyone turned and looked at Mouth, a few eyebrows raised, jaws had hit the floor—they were all in shock by his response. But, nevertheless—he was correct.

"That's—dark" Gretchen told him. "Why have I never seen you at AA meetings"?

"You all can go shower" Lucas called ignoring the rest. "Or whatever it is you need to do—go do it, you're free to go".

They stood there and watched the teenagers shrug, unsure, but each did as they were told.

"You will find Lucy alone in the cheerleaders changing room" Mouth told Peyton.

"Me? Why me"? Peyton asked.

"Because you're the biggest bitch here," Brooke said shrugging.

"What"?

"We have me—the grieving Widow, Haley—the upset mom who just found out her son is not a virgin," Brooke said gesturing toward Haley who sat alone on the bleachers three hundred feet away. "Millie—the former drug addict turned to stay at home mom, and Gretchen the former alcoholic turned nurse turned the clean teen's pregnant fiancé—you're the most durable choice".

Peyton couldn't really argue with that, so she didn't. But, as she walked away she rolled her eyes, it was the very least she could do.

"I'll be right back," Nathan said. "I need to go talk to Haley".

Before he could get to close to his wife, his brother pulled him to the side—privately. "Maybe you shouldn't"? Lucas offered. "She looks a little sensitive right now".

"All the more reason to speak to my wife".

"I get that—but Nate, you kind of went off back there," Lucas said. "I am pretty pissed at you myself".

"Oh—about the weed"?

"Out of everyone losing their cool—I never thought it would have been you over Haley, and right now she is upset," Lucas said. "You need to give her a second. Virginity—sex, that was always a big deal for her—it probably still is when it comes to Jamie, she probably had this fantasy of him waiting as she did. I get why you're mad at Jamie, but you threw a lot of vinegar on a very open wound, so leave it for a bit okay? If you want to apologize to anyone, go apologize to Madison".

"I was really out of line wasn't I"? Nathan asked.

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, man you were—like I said I get why you did it. I do. I understand you're pissed, everything with Jamie has been so up and down lately, but you overstepped. You threw us all under the bus, Jamie trusted me. You broke that, you took Brooke down with you—and you may have lost that good relationship you wanted with Jamie so badly. I'm pissed. Brooke is pissed. Haley is hurt. Jamie is livid".

"I don't know what happened Luke—I lost it with him," Nathan told him. "I didn't even know what I was saying until I already said it, we have moments where we have this wonderful relationship and it's great—and then when he says something or does something it gets under my skin so bad I swear I can feel it itch. We are hot and then cold, I feel like I'm in a damn Katy Perry song, some days I don't even know if I can talk to him or not, then others he tells me everything. If you ever repeat this, I'll deny it—but, I'm scared of him".

"You're scared—of Jamie"?

"Yes, it's like he can smell my fear—he walks down the stairs in the morning and I swear he has x-ray vision because he just looks at me," Nathan said. "He is nice to his mom and then he is acting like a little dick to me, but then the next day I'm his best freaking friend—it's not funny".

Lucas couldn't stop laughing. "You don't know how ridiculous you sound right now, Nate. He can smell your fear and has x-ray vision, he isn't the spawn of Superman and some whacked out vampire".

"Then what is he"?

"A teenager" Lucas said plainly. "He is a sixteen-year-old hormonal boy, who gets pissed at his dad for no reason other than he can from time to time".

"We were never like this".

Lucas scoffed. "Please, you were worse than Jamie could ever be. He is a good kid".

"You all know Jamie and Madison left-right"? Deb announced as she walked into the gym.

"What"? Haley asked jumping to her feet.

"I saw them leave, I was outside smoking a cigarette—they're gone".

Nathan sighed and looked at Lucas. "You were saying"?

* * *

Keith knew his daughter was in there, she was right behind the door—or somewhere behind it. He stood there, waiting, he was trying to give her enough time to change—or shower, or run away possibly so there he stood in the middle of the hallway in tree hill high school, where he didn't exactly feel comfortable at.

He couldn't remember what happened here, but he knew it was the very thing that robbed him of sixteen years with his daughter—the memories with Karen, it took away everything he ever wanted.

Everything he rightfully deserved.

So, Keith didn't wait for another second, he couldn't stand in this hall a minute linger—he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It looked empty, but he could hear Lily shuffling around, somewhere. He heard the door quietly close behind him, and he took a deep breath before walking forward.

Keith walked, slowly, looking down each row of lockers—each one just as empty as the one before it. For a second he thought maybe she wasn't in here, and he had missed her until he heard the water running from inside the bathroom, he felt like a coward because he froze, like a statue as heard the soft footsteps coming his way.

The door swung open, and there she was—the only time Keith ever remembered his breath being taken away was when he looked at Karen, he couldn't name a specific time due to the lack of oxygen he was getting to his brain.

"I'm sorry I thought I was al—" Lily said as she saw the shadow in front of her before she looked up, into his eyes—her eyes. She could feel her hands shake as she looked at the man she never knew but aches for all these years. "You—daddy"? She asked, her voice breaking as she felt a tear stroll down her cheek.

Daddy.

Keith missed so much he assumed he would skip straight to dad, most men get da-da, then daddy, and then dad. It came in phases for most kids, but it broke his heart in the best way possible to hear that one-word escape from her mouth.

"Hi".

Keith wanted to kick himself.

Hi.

It was the only thing he could seem to say, it was the only word that came across his mind—hi.

"You're really here"? Lily asked looking up at him.

Keith smiles, and he nodded. "Yeah, sweetheart—I'm here".

"If I hug you—are you going to fade away"?

"I'm not going anywhere".

Lily wanted to smile but she couldn't, so instead, she fell into her father's arms for the first time.

And it was better than anything she had ever dreamed of.

* * *

"Haley, calm down," Brooke told her friend. "I am sure they are fine, Nathan and Lucas went to go find them, it will be okay".

"Did you know"? Haley asked looking at her.

Brooke didn't need to guess what Haley was asking her, so she took her hand's friend and led her to sit down. "No, I didn't".

"Did Lucas"?

"Haley, I just found out myself, so if he did—he didn't share it with me".

Haley ran her fingers through her hair—she couldn't seem to shake the strange feeling in her stomach. "He is too young for this, he can't be having sex he is just a kid".

"I know you want to believe that, but Haley he isn't a kid," Brooke told her. "I know that you desperately want to believe that, that's true but he isn't a kid—Jamie has made mistakes but he hasn't done anything that I didn't do, or far worse at his age. But, I met this girl—and she became one of my best friends, she helped to ground my feet to the floor and because of her I ended up okay".

"Oh, really"? Haley asked, half smiling.

"Yeah, but Jamie's luckier than I was—that girl is his mom," Brooke said. "I know the sex probably freaks you out—".

"You think"?

"But, you need to find the silver lining in it—he had sex with the same girl he has been with since he was a kid. He isn't out jumping from bed to bed like Nathan and I did at his age, he has a good stable girlfriend whom he loves—God, that boy would move mountains for Madison".

Haley nodded. "He would, I don't think I have ever seen him as hurt as he was when we couldn't find her".

"I get it—why you're upset, I really do. I have two boys that I love watching grow up but hate to see them getting bigger" Brooke told her. "I understand why it probably freaks you out but Jamie—he isn't a normal teenager, he is smart—I mean yeah, he makes dumb choices but we all did. You kissed Chris Keller and I slept with him, we aren't exactly the best role models. Jamie needs to mess up from time to time, that's the best way to learn—and as for the sex, like I said it's not like he is out bed hoping, he is intimate with a girl he loves very much—maybe you should support that".

"Support"?

"Maybe that was too strong of a word," Brooke said laughing. "Don't stand on the other side of the door cheering them on and giving them pointers, but you should encourage him and his relationship, and I think it's good to have a healthy sexual appetite so long as they are safe".

Haley took Brooke's hand and smiled. "This is why I wanted to carry your baby".

Brooke arched an eyebrow, in a way she wasn't sure it was meant to.

"I'm sorry—what"?

Haley laughed, lightly. "You have been looking into surrogacy, I wanted to be your surrogate. You are the best mom, and if anyone deserves it—that happiness that comes with being a mom it's you. I was ready to offer that to you, but I wanted to go to the doctor just to make sure—before I offered, but they told me that I can't".

"Haley, I love you—and you're my best friend. I expect you to water my plants when I'm out of town but I don't expect you to carry my baby" Brooke told her. "I am so grateful, and I want nothing more than to have this large family, but if it never happens I still have Jude and Davis, and maybe that's all I need—wait they told you that you couldn't? Is something wrong, is everything okay"?

Haley nodded. "They told me I couldn't because I am already pregnant," she said quietly. "I haven't told Nathan yet, we tried and tried and now we stopped trying and I end up pregnant".

"Oh, my god" Brooke said hugging her best friend. "Congratulations".

"It doesn't make any sense though, we use condoms—religiously, the same ones we have used since I had Lydia and they have never failed us before".

"A baby is a blessing," Brooke told her. "Always".

"With everything going on I thought I would be stressed, I feel like I should be but I just feel so happy. Lydia is going to have a little brother or sister to play with—Jamie will probably freak—".

"No, Nathan will freak—what got into him earlier"?

"Jamie," Haley said. "It's actually entertaining—Jamie has so many of the same traits that Nathan had at that age, and it drives him crazy. He is basically parenting himself, and he hates it—loves Jamie, Deb finds it amusing, too".

"That gives me no comfort when the boys are that age if they act like I did I will end up in a straight jacket".

* * *

Keith tried to remember the last time he was around a crying teenager—and a newly pregnant Karen flashed across his mind, but this was much different.

"Let's sit," Keith told his daughter pointing to the small bench in front of her open locker.

Lily nodded as her father took her hand and led her over, both of them sitting down—she knew he was real, she knew he was here—but it felt like a dream.

"I—I was thinking I have all these pictures of me and mom, now you're here so I can take pictures with you—so I will have all these pictures of us, but I will never have a picture of me and you and mom," Lily said looking down.

Keith blinked a few times before he could even process what she had said, and it broke his heart into a thousand pieces.

"I can't bring your mom back if I could trade places I would in a heartbeat—" Keith began.

Lily smiled looking up at her dad.

"What"? He asked, figuring what he had said wasn't that funny.

"She used to say the same thing—and then she would tell me that every little girl needs her dad," Lily said resting her head on Keith's shoulder.

He smiled, which sounded like Karen. He could even hear her voice saying those words, he tried to think of what else she might say—or do, that would have made their daughter feel better.

Their daughter.

It still felt so unreal to him, like it wasn't completely possible that he had a child—with Karen.

"You May never get pictures with both of us, but you will always have memories with both of us," Keith said, swallowing hard. "I felt the same way, for weeks after I found out I had this beautiful daughter. I woke up and her mom was gone, I don't even remember the time I had with your mom but I try to find the silver lining in it. I do have mentors with Karen, good and bad. Every relationship has those up, down moments—ours will, too. But, you will have memories and moments with both me and your mom, no you won't have any of the three of us together but that doesn't make us any less of a family".

Lily looked up at her dad and smiled. "You're here—I'm not going to graduate with no parents in the audience, you're going to be here to walk me down the aisle, you can threaten my boyfriend—you're here. I miss mom, every day—but you're here and that's all that matters".

Keith kissed the top of Lily's head and smiled "you got that slap you gave the cheerleader from your mom—in case you were curious".

Lily threw her head back, and she laughed. "I got the basketball skills from you"? She asked. "Back in the day"?

"That made me feel old".

Lily once again laughed, and Keith adored the sound of it.

"You know if your mom was here you would be grounded".

"I would be so grounded". Lily agreed nodding. "You're going to ground me, right"?

"I don't want to—but I have this voice in the back of my head threatening me if I don't," Keith told her smiling.

"That voice sounds anything like mom"?

"You hear it, too"? Keith asked grinning, only half-joking.

"Can my sentence be at least negotiable"? Lily asked as she watched her father stand up. "That's what mom would do".

"No, it isn't," Keith said as he helped her to her feet.

"Worth a shot".

"So, let's talk about that boyfriend—will I like him"? Keith asked as he and his daughter made their way out the door.

"Not even a little bit—it's okay, I don't like him most of the time either".

* * *

"We can't find them," Nathan said walking into the gym, slightly more aggravated than he was when he left. "Luke and I drove all over town, I didn't see Jamie's car anywhere".

"Probably because they got back fifteen minutes ago," Skills told him throwing his thumb over his shoulder. "They are changing".

"And no one thought to call me"? Nathan asked.

"I told them not to," Haley said standing up walking over to her husband. "I don't want anymore arguing tonight, so they are changing and then we are all going home, we can address this in the morning".

"Address what, though"? Brooke asked.

"Yeah, we don't even know what happened" Mouth agreed.

The doors opened, and closed, followed by the sound of Peyton's heels clicking against the gymnasium's floor. "I do," she said smiling, walking over and joining the group.

"Lucy"? Millie asked raising her eyebrow.

"I tried, but she must have a little of Rachel in her because she wasn't talking," Peyton said folding her arms. "I knew Andre was a no-go, so I cornered the most talkative one I could find".

"Why do I have a feeling my son's name is about to be brought up"? Gretchen asked shaking her head.

"I just walked up to him and acted like I already knew, a few 'I can't believe Bentley said that' and a couple 'he had it coming', he talked and talked, I didn't get a word in edgewise," Peyton said shrugging.

"So, what happened"? Nathan asked.

"I guess Bentley and what's his friends name Andrew—".

"Andy"? Lucas asked.

"Yeah, him—in the locker room before the game I guess they were just little disgusting boys being little disgusting boys, they were making this list of all the girls they would—have sex with, which FYI was not the phrase Chuck used," Peyton told them. "Guess who was at the top of their little perverted list"?

"Madison"? Haley asked, sure she already knew the answer.

"Yup," Peyton told them. "They sat there and talked for fifteen minutes about all the things they would do if they got the chance to have sex with her, Jamie was late so he didn't hear all of it but Andre and Chuck heard it from the next set of lockers over. Of course, that's their best friend so they had to tell him".

"What exactly did they say about her"? Brooke asked, half livid herself.

"Think Fifty shades of grey mixed with the Don Jon, and half of it I'm sure they wouldn't know how to do," Peyton said crossing her arms. "Anyways, when Jamie found out that's when they started arguing—before the fight. That's when Bentley moved on from sex jokes about Madison to sex jokes about Haley".

"I'm sorry, excuse me"? Nathan asked crossing his arms.

"Teenagers are evil," Brooke said shaking her head.

Peyton shrugged. "I guess he took it one your momma joke too far, that's when Jamie clocked him".

"And let me guess, that's when the whole basketball team split into either team Jamie or team a Bentley"?

Peyton nodded.

"So, what happened with the girl's team and the cheerleaders"? Millie asked.

"Some girl named—was it Sasha"?

"You don't even need to say no more," Haley told her shaking her head. "She has been causing trouble between Jamie and Madison since middle school—I don't know if she has some crush on Jamie, or just really hates Madison—".

"Probably a little of both" Gretchen said. "That's how most girls are in high school—jealously".

"Good point, Sober girl" Brooke said smiling.

"Sober girl"?

"Now, I have tutor girl and sober girl, I need a name for Peyton".

"How about Peyton" her life long friend suggested. "I'm okay without some horrible nickname".

"By the way, she speaks for the rest of us" Haley pointed out. "So, what do we do, do we punish him—Nathan—where the hell did Nathan go"?

Lucas looked around and didn't see any sign of his brother, but he did see the door to the gym shutting. He shook his head. "This family can be a pain in the ass you know"?

Brooke shook her head. "I swear we were on the other side of this five minutes ago".

"Is this about mid-night madnesses"? Skills asked.

"Peyton got Rachel good that night" Mouth pointed out.

"Rach—you didn't see the Nathan and Lucas in the locker room, that was brutal" Skills said shaking his head. "You never would have guessed that they were brothers".

Lucas laughed. "But, I kicked his ass, it's what big brothers are for".

"Did you though—I mean there were a lot of fists being thrown, how can you tell"? Skills asked him. "I still want to know who hit me in the ass that night".

"I think that was me, sorry," Haley said tasing her hand. "I was trying to get Peyton off the mascot".

"And I'm the alcoholic," Gretchen said shaking her head. "Where were you in all of this"? She asked looking at her fiancé.

"This was before me," Chase said laughing. "Although, Haley was eight or nine months pregnant and she still managed to slap Rachel pretty good".

"Did anyone like this Rachel chick"? Gretchen asked.

"No".

"Not really".

"Hated her".

"Nope".

Well, that answered that.

"Is Jamie right"? Haley asked. "Listen to us, are we hypocrites—".

"We were young" Peyton pointed out.

"Just like them"? Chase asked.

"I don't care what I did, or how old I was," Brooke said. "I'm going to ground Madison or something because I wish someone had done that for me. You handle this how you all see fit, but I know what I needed, what she needs now".

* * *

Jamie shut his locker, and when he did he saw his dad on the other side, he tossed his large duffel down on the small bench next to him.

"I don't have the energy for this" Jamie told him as he sat down slipping into his shoes.

"Maybe you might if you hadn't been in a fight with your own team and having sex like a real-life rabbit," Nathan said.

Jamie didn't respond as his father sat next to him, although Nathan felt him tense up. It was no lie, nor could either pretend, the teenager was angry with his father. In fact, he didn't want to be anywhere around his father.

But, Nathan didn't care what he wanted, at least right now.

Sure he felt bad about all the things he had said, but he was still the dad here.

"I crossed a line," Nathan told Jamie. "You trusted me, I shouldn't have said anything".

"No, you shouldn't have" Jamie agreed.

Nathan bit down. "I'm still the dad here, Jamie—I'm still the adult and until you're eighteen you still have to listen to me rather you like it or not. Are we clear"?

Jamie didn't look up as he tied his shoes because there was no argument for that. "Fine" was all he said.

Nathan let out a long, deep breath, but then he said: "I heard what happened, what Bentley said".

Jamie sat up and looked at his dad. "Okay—and"?

"For the next thirty seconds, I'm not your dad—got it"? Nathan asked.

Jamie nodded, confused.

Nathan asked, with a quiet voice, "you put your back into it"?

Jamie was taken back by his father's question, and he was still pissed but he nodded. "Yes, sir".

"Alright then—attaboy" Nathan said patting Jamie on the knee before getting up and walking away.

Jamie was left alone, speechless, by the encounter with his father but he smiled.

* * *

Madison walked over to where Lucy and Lily were standing and followed the direction of their stare—the small window in the door of the gymnasium showed the group of adults standing in the middle of the floor.

"They have been in there talking for twenty minutes," Lily told her. "My dad just went in there to see what's going on".

"Wait—your dad"? Madison asked. "Your dad, he is here".

Lily nodded, smiling. "Yeah, he grounded me," she said. "My dad grounded me, it's so weird to say".

"I've never been grounded so correct me if I'm wrong—isn't that a bad thing"? Lucy asked.

Madison nodded. "Normally".

"Don't worry I'm sure Mouth will ground you tonight—or Millie, Millie looks like more of the bad cop" Lily told her friend. "So, we might have to adjust our plan just a bit".

"About that" Madison began. "But, we are all already in trouble—are you sure you two want to go".

"Yes," Lily and Lucy said without hesitation.

"You're going to meet the people who claimed to be your parents, you're not going alone," Lily told her.

Lucy nodded. "Not to mention there is safety in numbers, I can't drive yet but I can navigate".

Madison smiled. "Then we need a plan".

"We need to leave in the middle of the night," Lily said. "My dad is staying with Deb right now until he gets better so I will make some excuse to stay with Lucas tonight, I need my things or something—it's easiest to sneak out of".

"My dad doesn't go to bed until eleven, and Jimmie wakes up around twelve each night but he is back to sleep by twelve-thirty," Lucy told them.

"Brooke never goes to bed without a glass of wine and a sleeping pill, so you should pick me up first," Madison told her.

"Then we should be to your house by twelve forty-five," Lily told Lucy. "I will park just around the corner, by the time they wake up we should be halfway there".

The three girls jumped at the sound of the gymnasium door opening and looked up to see the adults piling out one by one.

"Where are the boys"? Chase asked.

Lily pointed. "Outside".

"Let's go," Haley said shrugging.

Brooke walked up to Madison as everyone began walking away.

"Did Lauren ever ground you"? Brooke asked as she slipped into her jacket.

Madison nodded. "When she thought I deserved it".

"And do you think you deserve it now"? Brooke asked.

"What would you have done if some girl made a comment about Julian if he was still here"? Madison asked.

Brooke paused. "Okay, not all your points are bad but you're still grounded, I'm not taking your phone but tomorrow you're going to get up and there will be a list on the counter, you will do everything on that list. Then if I'm not happy with it, you'll do it again. You won't leave the house, you won't even walk across the road to see Jamie—you won't sit down and binge-watch whatever television series you're stuck on. Got it"?

Madison sighed. "Got it, warden".

Brooke pointed towards the door and watched as Madison walked away.

"Warden," Brooke said to herself as she zipped her jacket. "Warden Davis—I like it".

* * *

"Are you serious"? Andre asked Skills as they stood in the middle of the living room floor. "I wasn't even fighting, I was just trying to break it up—and you're punishing me for something out of my control"?

"Nothing in front of you is out of your control" Skills told him. "And I saw you punch Andy, so I'm sorry dawg, yeah, I'm serious. You're grounded".

"You're not even my father, you have no biological ties to me".

"No, but your mother did and she left you in my care, why don't you take this time without your phone to go visit her," Skills said, holding his hand out.

Andre rolled his eyes but took his phone out of his pocket and laid it in Skills palm, before storming up the stairs.

"Nothing in front of you is out of your control" Skills repeated. "I sound like my father".

* * *

"Two weeks"? Chuck repeated. "Two weeks, you've got to be kidding me".

"Do we look like the humorous type right now, Charles"? Gretchen asked looking at her son from across the kitchen counter.

"One week for the fight, one week for hiding the motorcycle," Chase told him.

"It's not even my damn motorcycle," Chuck said throwing his hands.

"And three for that" Gretchen told him.

"Let's see if he can make it to a month," Chase said sarcastically to his fiancé.

"I'm going to kill Jamie," Chuck said as he stormed away.

"Try to see if you can't leave that attitude up there in the morning" Chase called. "It doesn't go good with my eggs"!

Gretchen laughed.

"What"? Chase asked.

"You sound just like your dad".

Chase froze. "Damn it".

* * *

"A month," Millie told Lucy. "One month, no phone, no tv, zero electronics—you go to school, you come home, and that is all".

"Am I allowed to breathe"? Lucy asked folding her arms.

"Don't talk that way to her" Mouth told his daughter.

"A month, you don't think that's a little ridiculous"? Lucy asked her dad. "I'm a good kid".

"You are," Millie said. "Which is why you're still allowed to go to cheerleading practice but if you keep up, that will disappear with your phone".

"What am I supposed to do without my phone," Lucy asked folding her arms.

"What did you do before you came here"?

"I was a street rat, do you really want to go down that road"?

"Do you really want to jump on my last nerve because it's the only thing keeping you on the cheerleading team?" Millie told her.

Lucy threw her hands up and stormed up to her bedroom.

"Oh, my god" Millie said sitting down. "I sound like my mother".

"I can beat you, you sound like my mother" Mouth said laughing as he sat next to his wife.

"Then why are you smiling"?

"Because we sounded like a family" Mouth told her. "We did. It's not the most ideal way I ever pictured us sounding like a family, but we did—we do".

* * *

Madison waited, she couldn't sleep anyways but she waited. And she waited. The moon was high in the sky when she crawled out of her bedroom window, far earlier than she expected Lily to arrive.

But, that wasn't where she was going.

She walked across the street, and climbed up the treehouse in Jamie's back yard, she leaped over it and on to the roof—as quietly as she could, taking small steps to his window—that was undoubtedly open, and she squeezed through the frame.

Madison bit down on her lip, smiling, as she looked at Jamie. He was asleep, with one hand tucked under his pillow and the other above his head, one leg under the covers, and one leg out.

She opened the covers and crawled underneath them, instantly she felt him a jerk, knowing it was her presence that probably woke him.

"What—what's going on"? Jamie asked, his voice horse and low.

"Brooke grounded me," she said smiling. "She took my phone".

"Join the club, I got six weeks".

"Wow," Madison said as she laid in his arms. "I only got two".

"And you're here to make it worse"? Jamie asked smiling.

"No, I just wanted to see you".

Jamie had more questions, but he never got the chance to answer them.

Madison kissed him, she kissed him in a way that made sent a shiver down his spine, and with that, he rolled on top of her.

Jamie assumed she snuck over because they wouldn't see each other the next day, and they were both grounded.

But, what he didn't know was it had nothing to do with their activities from earlier that evening, it had everything to do with what the rest of the night would hold for her. Or the following day. Or two. She could easily handle Brooke being angry with her, but she couldn't handle Jamie being upset with her, and she was keeping something from him.

Something big.

Jamie would be upset, angry—but she couldn't let him get mixed up in it. Not for this.

It wasn't long after they had sex that he fell asleep, and a short time after that Madison saw the time. She snuck back out the same way she came, and around the corner—where Lily was waiting in her car.

"Took you long enough," Lily said as Madison got in.

"I was with Jamie," Madison said as her friend began to drive. "He is going to be so mad at me, for not telling him".

"And you don't want to"?

Madison shook her head. "He is already in trouble, a lot of it, and even if he wasn't something like this would have Nathan throw him on the bench for weeks, basketball isn't just a sport to Jamie. Did you know he already has college scouts looking at him"?

"Lucas mentioned it once or twice—there's Lucy, already waiting".

Lily stopped the car, just long enough for her friend to hop inside, and then the three took off.

"You two sure about this"? Madison asked them. "You're going to get in trouble".

"Ride or die," Lily said smiling.

And the three took off into the night.

* * *

_**A/N thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. **_

_**I have written this chapter 4 or five different times, I knew how I wanted it to play out but every time I wrote it, I just didn't love the flow of it.**_

_**I wrote it From the adult perspective, and then from the teenagers perspective, until finally I just decided to write it with the aftermath. This is a switch for the adults, It's something that they experienced in high school but received very little to no repercussions, so I wanted to write about how they would handle it.**_

_**I worried about writing Nathan's outburst, at first I worried that it was Very out of character for him, but decided that sometimes dad get heated in the moment.**_

_**One pregnancy down! ;) **_

_**And the girls took off, does anyone actually think this is going to go well? Nope, me either. **_

_**Anyways, review & let me know what you think! **_

_**Until next time! **_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Two updates in one week? **_

_**Why, yes! You're seeing correctly! Happy Reading! **_

* * *

**THUD**.

Haley rose up in her bed at the loud sound that shook her bedroom walls, she looked around and the first thing she saw was her husband—Nathan, who was sitting in the floor wearing nothing but his boxers—just as shocked as she was. She assumed the loud noise that woke her was him, rolling out of bed, but that wasn't the loud noise that woke him.

A loud banging was echoing through the walls of their large home, the two shared a glance, and through squinted eyes, Haley looked at the clock on Nathan's nightstand.

"It's six a.m," she said as she stood to her feet.

The married couple stumbled through their home until the reached the sight of the overly loud racket.

Haley quickly unlocked their front door and opened it to find Brooke on the other side. Neither one of the Scott's got to speak before Brooke pushed past them and found her way into the living room.

"Please, come in Brooke," Nathan said sarcastically as he watched his wife shut the do

Haley held her hand up towards her husband before anyone could say anything else. "Brooke, what's going on"? She asked. "It's barely six in the morning".

"Is Madison here"? She asked. "She isn't in her room".

"What do you mean she isn't in her room"?

"I mean her room is empty, bed made—she isn't there".

"Was she downstairs somewhere, maybe"? Haley asked.

"Oh, shoot—that's what I forgot to do. I saw her room empty and I immediately came right over here first" Brooke nearly yelled. "I ran all around the house, she isn't home. Is she here"?

"I—Wait, Nathan," Haley said, as she took off up the stairs after her husband.

Nathan stormed the hall, with Brooke and Haley not far behind him, and burst through Jamie's bedroom door. The sound of the door hitting the back of the wall scared the teenager awake and rolled off his bed with a loud **BOOM**.

And two Scott men woke up this particular morning hitting the floor.

"What's going on"? Jamie asked slightly disoriented as his father turned the lights on.

"Is Madison here"? Haley demanded.

Confused, Jamie stood up and shook his head. "Does it look like she is here"? He asked waving his arm around.

Nathan, who didn't believe his son, opened the door to his nearest closet.

"Why would I lie, when you can do that"? Jamie asked putting his hands on his hips. "Go ahead, search she isn't here".

"Does no one wear clothes to bed in this family"? Brooke asked, looking from Nathan to Jamie—both of which were in nothing but their underwear.

"Madison—she isn't in her room"? Jamie asked, finally catching up with the conversation—or half. "Where is she? Did you call her"?

Brooke looked at Jamie, who was genuinely concerned, worried—and freaking out.

"I can't," Brooke told him. "I took her phone last night".

Nathan looked at Jamie, and like Brooke seen the real panic on his face. "Jamie, I need you, to be honest with us—you don't know where she is"?

"Dad, I swear to god I don't".

"Luke—I know it's early" they heard and seen Haley standing in the doorway with the house phone pressed to her ear. "Is Madison over there with Lily, okay thanks?" she said before whispering "he is checking Lily's room".

"Madison wouldn't just take off," Jamie said. "Dad—".

"Calm down, it's okay," Nathan told him. "We'll find her".

Jamie sat down on his bed as he looked up at his mom, watching as her as they waited—trying his best not to have an anxiety attack.

"What"? Haley nearly yelled. "Are you sure—? Oh, my god—yeah, get over here as soon as you can".

Nathan heard the line end and looked at his wife, and knew whatever it was—it wasn't good news.

"Lily is gone, her car is gone," Haley told them. "Luke is coming over here".

"Do you think they ran away—because we grounded them or something"? Brooke asked laying her hand across her chest. "I wasn't that hard on her".

"I don't think that's what it is, Keith just got back—Lily wouldn't—she wouldn't," Nathan said. "Jamie—".

"Dad I swear—".

"I believe you, but do you know anywhere they would have gone"? He asked.

Jamie shook his head. "No," he said. "And I can't even check my phone to see if they messaged me or something".

"Hales, get his phone it's in my nightstand," Nathan told her.

Haley took off down the hallway leaving the three together.

"Where in the hell are they"? Brooke asked looking out the open window. "Where are you, Madison"?

* * *

Lily jolted up at the sound of a loud horn honking, immediately hitting her head against the roof of her car. "Ow," she cried, rubbing her head, but looked around—out the window she saw cars, and nothing else, but none of them was moving.

Not even them.

"What's going on"? Lily asked, groggily rubbing her eyes. "Where are we? What time is it"?

"I take it she's not a morning person"? Lucy asked Madison without looking up from her map.

"Good guess," Madison said, yawning.

"Well, sunshine," Lucy said turning to face her friend. "This is what we call a traffic jam".

"Would you like to eat your teeth for breakfast"? Lily asked.

Lucy simply laughed as she turned back around. "We are in Georgia—I think".

"You think, you're the one who is supposed to be reading the map," Madison told her.

"You do realize you two have switched off driving while I am the only one who knows how to read a map—so I haven't had a break, and I'm tired, so my visions not so good," Lucy told her. "Once we pass the next mile marker I will know for sure but I think we are in Georgia".

"How much longer until we get there"? Lily moaned throwing herself against the seat.

"Well, it's a seventeen-hour drive—so if the traffic was moving, another ten or eleven hours but it's not—".

"Lucille"! Lily moaned. "Estimate".

"I'd say mid-night".

Madison and Lily both groaned in aggravation.

"I need to sleep".

"I need to pee".

"I need to eat".

God, help us all.

"Lily, you have a phone—right"? Madison asked.

She nodded. "It's in my bag, in the floorboard—Luke never took it last night".

Lucy reached down and pulled the small bag up into her lap, she searched through it before pulling the cell phone out. "Thirty-seven missed calls," Lucy said handing it back to Lily. "And fourteen voicemails".

"Listening to them can't be a good idea," Lily said as she took the phone.

"Luke"? Madison assumed.

"Him, Nathan, Haley—even Jamie" Lily told her.

"What did Jamie say"?

"I can't open any of them," Lily said. "We talked about it, not until we are at least eight hours ahead of them" Lily reminded her. "If I open them, they could see that I read them".

"Apple and their stupid ideas" Madison moaned.

"Could you not hate on my iPhone, you strange little android user"?

"I'm just saying if we had my Android we could have used my maps app, instead of having Christopher Columbus with red hair, attempting to read an actual map from the Stone Age, just guessing where we are going but we can't turn on your location or Luke can find out where we are," Madison said.

"You're welcome for reading the map," Lucy said sarcastically. "Would either of you two like to do it"?

"We need to get out of this car for a few minutes before we kill each other" Lily said shaking her head. "Take the next exit, we will grab something to eat—stretch our legs".

* * *

Haley opened the front door, to find Mouth on the other side—and like the rest, he was dressed head to toe in his pajamas, with the exception of his sneakers. If it were under any other occasion Haley was sure Brooke would make a comment about his matching top and bottom, that she was sure his mother purchased but it would go unspoken about on this particular day.

"Come in," Haley told him waving her hand.

"Have you heard anything"? Mouth asked.

"No, Jamie is trying them again—if anyone is going to be able to get through to them it's Jamie, but they aren't picking up anyone's calls," she told him.

Mouth looked up at Jamie who had his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Has anyone called the police"? He asked.

"I did—for Lily," Luke told him. "But, until it's twenty-four hours they can't do anything—but there is a problem with that idea".

"What's that"?

"It could risk my custody agreement with Madison—so if they just went to a party or something, I could lose her," Brooke told him.

"Do you think they just went to a party"? Mouth asked.

"Honestly"? Nathan asked. "I doubt it—but we can't get the police to heavily involved because I know these girls, I know Madison—she wouldn't just run away, and I don't want her to come back and be sent away".

Jamie walked up to them and shook his head. "No answer—I have called all of Madison's friends on the basketball team, I even called Sasha to see if she heard from Lucy, which I'm sure I'll pay for that later, but no one has heard anything".

"Damn it," Brooke said.

Lucas rubbed her back and said, "it's alright, we are going to find them—".

"I don't know if I want to find her just so I know that she is okay, or so that I can kill her," Brooke said running her fingers through her tangled hair.

Haley took Brooke's hand. "It's going to be alright, but you do need to calm down".

"And if we do end up talking to the police, I wouldn't mention that" Nathan suggested.

"Has anyone thought about driving around town—looking that way"? Mouth asked.

"I did that on my way here—but maybe we could try again" Luke suggested.

"This time take Jamie with you if they are at a party or something—he would know where to look better," Nathan told him.

"Dad, they didn't go to a party," Jamie said.

"I have three stressed-out parents standing here, humor me," Nathan told them.

"Let me go grab my shoes".

Jamie took off up the stairs, as Nathan and Haley made their way to the kitchen.

"Come on," Brooke said taking Mouth's hand. "You should have been here earlier, no one was wearing pants".

Mouth chuckled lightly as he sat down on the couch with Brooke. "This really says a lot about my parenting skills," he told her. "I just got her, and I have already lost her. I suck, I officially suck as a dad".

"I lost mine, too—you're saying I suck".

"No, of course not—where are the twins"?

Brooke's eyes grew wide. "Oh, my god," she said jumping up. "I left them by themselves".

"They are with Peyton, remember"? Lucas asked. "They stayed the night with Sawyer".

"And you call yourself a bad parent" Brooke said plopping down next to Mouth. "I forgot mine wasn't even with me".

"No one is a bad parent," Haley said walking back into the living room with a tray full of food. "It's been a hectic morning, but we will find the girls—until then everyone needs to remain calm".

"Easy for you to say you know where your kids are," Brooke said folding her arms.

"Need I remind you of Lucas' wedding"? Haley asked.

"Good point," Brooke told her.

* * *

Jamie had lived in Tree Hill his entire life, and could never remember a time he saw the town this early in the morning. The sun was up but the streets were dead, deader than normal that was—the only thing on the long road was the morning fog rolling in.

It made it a little more difficult to look, but Jamie knew he wasn't going to see Lily's car sitting on a random corner, outside of a diner, or getting gas at the local station—but the fear of where they were crawled through his skin. It turned his stomach because he didn't know—he didn't have a clue of the whereabouts.

"It doesn't make sense," Jamie said shaking his head, as his uncle continued to drive. "Madison—she tells me everything," he said. "Then she just up and leaves in the middle of the night with Lily and Lucy, and goes where? It's not adding up, I don't understand. Madison isn't a rule breaker, she follows them—hell she writes half of them. She doesn't like getting in trouble, I'm always the one who sneaks out to see her that's why I was shocked when she snuck into my bedroom last night".

"She was with you last night"? Lucas asked.

Jamie sighed. "I guess you're going to tell my dad that, too".

Lucas let out a long deep breath. "Jamie can we talk about that—".

"No," he said flatly. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you, you just run and tell my parents everything".

"That's not true".

"Let's just look for Madison and the girls, alright"? Jamie snapped. "I don't even know why I was talking to you".

"You were talking to me because you're worried. Well, guess what? I am, too" Lucas told him. "Lily is my sister, I am just as worried and scared as you are, and I just wish she would call me back, tell me where she is—I know what you're feeling, and FYI you know I would never break your trust—intentionally".

"We don't have to talk while we look".

* * *

Madison hung the gas nozzle back as she saw Lily and Lucy walking out of the gas station, bags, and bags in their hands—of what looked to be the most unhealthy food they could find. And she was all for it.

"Thank God," Madison said as Lily tossed her a bag of chips. "I'm starving".

"I would hardly call this food," Lily told her. "But, we need to be on the road".

The three got into the car and took off—devouring the hundred dollar's worth of junk food and soda.

"You're going to take a left up here," Lucy told Lily, who was now driving. "It will take us on to the I-85, right into Alabama".

Lily nodded and switched the turn signal on.

"I figured we could stop and get something to eat, more suitable when we cross the Mississippi line" Lucy suggested. "That will put around eleven hours between us and home, so we can actually stop and eat something besides gas station poison".

Madison relaxed into the back seat, stretching her legs across the seat, she wasn't sure when she fell asleep, or for how long, all she knew was it wasn't long enough. The aches in her body kept her turning, not fully resting but she still slept, it made the time pass much quicker—when she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Lily putting the car into park.

She yawned and attempted to stretch before sitting up and looking around. The three were outside of a restaurant.

"Where are we"? Madison asked.

Lily pointed "apparently we are at the best soul food restaurant in Mississippi," she told her best friend.

Madison looked out the window and saw the sign stating the very thing Lily just said. She shook her head. "Why does everyone always think they are the best"?

Lucy laughed. "I don't care if they are the best, just eatable will be fine at this point—I could really go for some crap cakes".

"Lobster sounds so good, right now," Lily said as they each got out of the car.

The three walked in, and within thirty minutes were seated and devouring the food on their plates. None of them spoke until they were done.

"Alright," Lily said pulling her phone out and sitting it on the table. "It's time, we need to send someone a text, a phone call—something. You know they are worried".

"I have never seen my dad mad—I don't think I'm ready to," Lucy said.

"You know who you need to call," Lily told Madison and slid the phone over to her best friend. "Do it, it'll be okay".

* * *

It was the first time Jamie's phone had rung all day, he instantly pulled it out of his pocket—and when he saw Lily's name flash across the screen he felt his heart leap out of his body.

"It's them," he said standing up out of his chair.

"Give it to me," Brooke said.

"Bad idea," Haley told him. "Just answer it".

Jamie slid his thumb across the phone as he stepped outside, choosing that to be best for the moment. "Hello"? He answered, unsure why his voice was so shaky.

"Jamie".

"Oh, my god—Madison," he said breathing out a breath of fresh air. "Thank God, you're okay"?

"Yeah, I'm okay, we are all okay".

"Where are you"?

He listened, as she went quiet—for just a minute, but then she proceeded to tell him. Everything. Quickly. He didn't have a chance to respond, or comment—he could only listen before she rushed off the phone—leaving him less than satisfied.

"Texas"? Brooke nearly screamed. "Like hell, if they think they are going to Texas"!

"They are over halfway there," Jamie told her. "I think she said Mississippi, I'm not sure. Erm—she talked pretty fast".

"What is in Texas"? Haley asked her son.

"Her parents—or the people who claimed to be her parents," he said.

"Why would she want to talk to them"? Lucas asked.

Jamie, still blindsided by the conversation held his hands together to stop them from shaking. "She—I don't know," he said, his voice hoarse. "I mean I do know, or what she said—".

"Jamie are you okay"? Nathan asked his son.

He nodded. Slowly. "She said she wanted answers, about her birth parents—and if anyone had them, it would be her parents—erm, the fake ones. I also talked to Lily, she said that she and Lucy went, it was their decision—so they take full responsibility—excuse me".

Nathan watched his son dart up the stairs, he squeezed Haley's hand before taking off after him.

"Okay, call the airport," Haley said. "See if we can get a flight to Texas—he didn't say what part of Texas".

"Lauren will know where they are" Mouth said. "I will call Skills. He should be with her".

"Okay, and then we need to book the earliest flight," Haley told him.

Brooke took Haley's hand and asked: "is Jamie alright"?

"Nathan will find out," she said nervously rubbing her arm.

* * *

"Jamie," Nathan asked knocking on the cracked door to the bathroom.

When his son didn't answer he pushed the door the rest of the way opened, he couldn't remember the last time he saw his son get sick—at all, let alone leaning over a toilet. He quickly grabbed a towel and wetted it under the sink.

Jamie attempted to steady his breathing as he flushed the toilet, and backed himself against the wall.

"Here," Nathan said sitting down across from him, handing him the wet towel.

Jamie ran it across his face, his hands shaking.

"She is okay," Nathan told him.

Jamie shut his eyes, tightly. "I see all these stories on the internet, these horror stories—of families who never see their loved ones again, and I'm not there. I'm not there to protect her. She is out by herself—".

"It's natural to be scared," Nathan told him.

"Scared? Yeah, I'm scared but I am pissed off" Jamie said opening his eyes. "She didn't care how dangerous this was, I could have gone with her—you or mom or Brooke or anyone could have taken her, but for what? To go talk to the people that probably kidnapped her, she thinks she is going to walk in there and get an answer she likes? That is if they tell her anything at all. This was dangerous and stupid, and I'm sure on some level illegal—I mean it's running away, right? She didn't even tell me".

"I heard your mom, they are getting on a plane and going after her" Nathan assured his son. "It's okay, it will be okay".

"It will still take hours for you to catch up with her, or whoever is going—whose going"?

"I don't know yet," Nathan told him. "I can tell you that you're not".

Jamie looked up at his dad, with pleading eyes. "Dad, please," he said. "Is this because I'm grounded, I think this trumps that".

"You're right, it does but you're upset, and one tip I have learned to have stayed in a marriage for as long as I have—you can't go into an argument with the way you're feeling. You need to cool off, I know you're mad at me but I will go and make sure she gets home safe".

"If she is going to meet these strangers, she needs me," Jamie told him. "I need to go in with her".

"Calm down," Nathan told him. "I don't even know if she is going to go in, that's not up to me—that's Brooke's call".

"Dad—I need to see her".

"Jamie—".

"Did she even think this through"? Jamie said, unable to contain his outburst. "She just packed up and decided to travel across the freaking country, with no regard to what kind of dangerous situation she could find herself in. Look what happened to Q, and that was right here in Tree Hill—a small town in North Carolina. Then what's her plan, walk up to a high-security penitentiary and just say what exactly? And even if they decide to tell her what really happened what would she do if it was something she didn't want to hear? I can't believe she would do this or think that this would be a good idea".

"And that's why you're not going," Nathan told his son. "Whoever goes needs to keep a level head through this, and I don't think you're the person for the job".

Jamie looked at his father, and he could tell by the look in his eyes there was no arguing with him. This was the plan, Jamie was not going.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

Lucas held the warm mug full of dark liquid in his hand, as he stepped out the back door of his brother's home. He saw her standing there, Brooke, with a jacket that was far too big for her, that he assumed belonged to Nathan or Jamie that Haley probably fetched at some point, covering her small arms. She stood by the edge of the pool looking down into the tinted water.

"I don't recommend jumping," he said walking up to her. "Nathan tends to drain the pool when people do that".

Brooke wanted to smile, and she half thought she did, but she couldn't be sure. Her whole body felt numb, it could have been the emotional pain or the cold that was breezing through her bones, but she couldn't feel—anything.

"Coffee"? Lucas offered stretching the mug out her way.

She nodded. "Thanks" she whispered.

Lucas watched as she sipped the drink, before taking her hand and leading her over to the nearest patio furniture Haley had. "Sit down," he told her as they neared it. "You need to sit for a few minutes".

Brooke didn't argue with him, partly because he was right, and partly because she didn't have the strength to. The two sat down at the table, as she continued to take small drinks from her caffeinated beverage—that she desperately needed.

"Talk to me," Lucas said.

And that was all he had to say.

"I'm trying—I was just wondering if my parents ever felt this way," she told him. "I can't count the times I just up and disappeared, taking random road trips or even traveling way too far at sixteen—just to go to a party. I don't even think they noticed when I didn't come home in the mornings".

"Brooke—".

"No, you had a curfew. You had to ask Karen if you could break that curfew, or go on a trip with your friends—and if you didn't all hell would break loose" Brooke told him. "You had this responsible parent, who took great care of you—my parents are good, now. They love my kids, and Sawyer, and Lydia—they want to meet Maddie—".

Lucas put his hand over Brooke's shaky one. "You're not your parents," he told her.

"No, I know I'm not—I wanted to be a mother, I begged God and the freaking universe to let me be a mother but I never once considered how I would handle things that I once I did because I didn't have a good example of a parent growing up," Brooke said a tear falling down her cheek. "Last night I was so—I didn't even take her home before I grounded her. Now, I'm thinking maybe I was too hard on her".

"Brooke, you are a great mother," Lucas told her. "And if anyone knows how to handle these types of situations it's you. I mean, you said it yourself last night, you know what she needs because you never had that. You need to remember that, don't doubt yourself".

Brooke let her face fall into her hands, taking a long and deep breath trying to steady herself. "I am scared for her, and I am pissed at her. When I see her I don't know if I am going to hug her or yell, or both, I'm worried something is going to happen. She is driving through cities, and cities, states, and states—I'm worried the next call we get will be from a hospital or a police officer, I can't think straight".

Lucas lowered Brooke's hand, and softly rubbed her forearm. "Welcome to raising a teenager," he told her with a soft smile. "I'm worried, too. I just want to get Lily back here, Keith is at Deb's hooked up to an oxygen machine—he wasn't ready for this kind of stress. Mouth is in there calling every connection he has—".

"Mouth has connections"? Brooke asked—genuinely surprised.

He nodded, with a slight smile. "He owns a news station, that secured quite a bit of connection from different towns—states. People owe him favors, so he is doing what he can to get us on a plane".

"No flights leaving here"?

"There are plenty," he told her. "But, none going to Texas that doesn't have stops, which isn't ideal in this situation".

Brooke sat back in her seat, fighting the tears she could feel trying to escape from her eyes. "This day couldn't get any worse".

"Given our history—I wouldn't say that," Lucas told her.

Brooke opened her eyes and looked at him—watching nearly twenty years of history flash before her, and she couldn't help but laugh. Lightly. But, it was a laugh, going to show her that he could make her smile in even the worst circumstances.

She leaned forward and rubbed her hand against the back of his wrist that was laid on the table, and she looked at him. Those eyes, and for a second it was all she thought about.

Until she kissed him.

Once again, she knew it wasn't the best idea, but at that moment it felt right. And it must have for him, too.

Because he didn't hesitate, he didn't flinch. He moved his lips right along with hers, he felt her arms wrap around his neck, but barely.

For Brooke—the kiss, made her feel—everything. It was as if no time had passed, for that moment, she felt like a seventeen-year-old. She could hear her heart pounding if that was possibly—and all she could think about was him.

Lucas.

Neither of them wanted to, but when their lips broke apart she smiled when he ran his thumb across her bottom lip—it took her to breathe away, again.

"I'm going to go check and see if Mouth has found anything out," he told her.

Brooke nodded and watched as he walked away, stirring in her own mind.

Madison.

Lucas.

Peyton.

Brooke could feel her shoulders tensing up the more she felt her mind run, she could feel the stress eating through her skin.

But, right now she couldn't think about Lucas, not like she wanted to. She couldn't think about Peyton, she couldn't think about how wrong it all felt, no matter how right it felt. She couldn't think about any of it making sense. She could only think about Madison, and getting her home.

Safely.

* * *

Lucy glanced over her shoulder, into the back seat—where Lily laid, sleeping, not soundly either. The sixteen-year old's snore was almost echoing through the car, in the most annoying way possible.

"I've never met anyone that can't even shut up when their sleeping," Lucy said shaking her head, as she turned around.

Madison laughed because the redhead wasn't wrong. "What are you smiling about"? She asked Lucy, who despite the circumstances had a grin from one ear to the other.

"A year ago, just a few months ago even—I was alone," she said. "I was doing exactly this, alone. I slept where I could, I ate where I could find food—but I was alone. I had no one, I've never had friends, and now I have two girls who I can drive across country with and go back home, and get in trouble—I'm not alone".

"I've always had friends" Madison admitted. "I had Jamie, Andre, and Chuck—its been us four as long as I could remember. But, I have never had someone who wanted to go shopping or have a girl's night painting nails or watching some corny romance movie. I spent my thirteenth birthday watching men hit each other in tights—being the only girl is hard. So, our situations are different but I know what you mean".

"Same" the two heard and Lily sat up leaning between their seats. "I grew up traveling with my mom and her boyfriend, it was great seeing all these countries and visiting all these amazing places some people only ever dream of. But, I didn't have anyone my own age to talk to—about boys, or girls—whichever way you swing it's cool, I loved my mom but I couldn't talk to her about somethings. I always wanted a friend, and now I have two".

* * *

"So, nothing"? Lucas asked Mouth.

"I'm on hold trying to at least get a flight," Haley told him with the phone pressed to her ear. "But, all the flights are eight hours or more, none of them going straight there".

Mouth pinched the bridge of his nose. "At that rate, we might as well drive".

"We need to be there by tonight," Brooke said. "They can't stay in some strange place by themselves".

"Can we bribe them"? Nathan asked.

"Can we bribe an airport—would you like to ask them that, baby"? Haley asked rolling her eyes at her husband.

"What's going on"? Jamie asked as walked into Nathan's office where they all stood.

"Your father wants to bribe an airport," Haley told him with the phone still pressed to her ear.

Nathan rolled his eyes, as he continued searching on his computer.

"All the flights are either booked, or it's going to take us the same amount of time to get there as driving," Mouth told him.

"And we need to be there —tonight" Brooke explained. "Lily has text Luke a few times, so we know they are safe but we can't let them stay by themselves".

"I told them if they aren't there by dark to get into the nicest hotel they can find, but they don't need to be out driving in a strange city at night," Luke told his nephew. "They shouldn't have done it last night".

Jamie nodded, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door frame. "So, if you knew someone who happened to own a private jet—that would be very confident, wouldn't it"?

The sound of Nathan's large fingers clicking each key on the board to his computer quit, as he looked up at his son—and sat back in his chair.

Lucas looked back and forth between the father and son, as one looked a little extra cockier than the other. When he looked at Nathan, it was like a really annoying light had gone off inside his head.

"Please, don't tell me—let me guess," Lucas said sarcastically. "The sixteen-year-old has a plane".

Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, Dan did—and when he told Rachel that he gave everything away he actually signed everything over into Jamie's name, so I'm going to take a guess and say, yes".

"I'm more than willing to loan it to you," Jamie said, his face straight.

"Let me guess, now," Nathan said standing up. "You get to go"?

"It's my plane, I should get to ride in it, too".

"You would only ever hear a sentence like that from a teenager, in this house," Brooke said crossing her arms.

"Nathan, we need it," Mouth told him.

"You do realize I'm being blackmailed, again, by my teenaged son," Nathan said.

Lucas patted his brother on the back and said: "your teenager is here, and safe, so could you please just—".

"Fine, you can go," Nathan said, knowing he was going to get ganged up on if he thought about it a second longer.

"I'll go call, and make sure it's in the hangar," Jamie said pulling his phone out.

"Where else would it be"? Nathan asked.

"Grandpa already had it set up for timeshare, so sometimes someone else has it," Jamie told him.

Haley laid the phone she had been on down and crossed her arms. "Jamie, do you even know what timeshare is"?

"It's like renting," he told them. "I don't know but I know every time someone does I get more money".

Nathan shook his head. "Just go make the call".

Jamie smiled as he walked out of his dad's office leaving the group alone.

"You know" Lucas began. "I'm a best selling author, you own multi-million dollar fashion companies, you own a news station, you played in the NBA, and you were an actual pop star—but I bet if any one of us looked at his bank statements, we would be pissed".

"It's all Nathan's fault" Haley accused him as she sat down on the couch.

Nathan looked at his wife, confused. "How is it my fault"?

Haley rolled her eyes. "For one Dan is your dad, my dad left him some sort of antique with John Wayne's signature, your dad left him loads of money, that he lied to get," she said. "It's scam money. For two, when Dan's lawyer stopped by to tell us of Jamie's inheritance I suggested we look through it and what was it you said—oh, yeah. It couldn't be anything but some money".

"How was I supposed to know my father would have left him a damn plane"?

Brooke crossed her arms and again felt the need to point out. "Once again, a sentence like that could only happen in this house".

"Oh, Brooke" Haley said. "Julian didn't leave the boys, or you nothing extravagant"?

"Not a plane".

"Technically its a jet" Mouth informed her before being on the wrong end of Brooke's death glare. "But, that's not the point".

Lucas shook his head. "So, he must just like working at the garage then".

"Well, he can't access the money until he is sixteen" Nathan told them as he closed his laptop. "Not without mine or Haley's signature".

Lucas looked at him confused. "He is sixteen, if it has his name on he should be able to do whatever the hell he wants—".

"Okay, fine but he doesn't know that," Nathan said.

Brooke scoffed. "You lied to him"?

"Did no one witness what just happened? He held a plane over my head, do you think he needs to be in control of a multi-million dollar bank account".

Lucas wanted to laugh, and in fact, he did. "It must be infuriating working your ass off, and then your son ends up richer than you".

Nathan's head hit his desk. "I hate Dan".

* * *

It was the first time Lucy had closed her eyes since she got in the car, the exhaustion ran so deep she fell asleep instantaneously.

Lily and Madison were quiet, letting their best friend sleep, so they rode in silence for some time. It was peaceful, calming—for a while.

Madison was the better choice to attempt to read the map, and Lily was driving. For a while, they weren't even sure where they were, or if they were even going in the right direction, but the drove through the long deserted road. There was no gas station, no people, and no cars—it was just them.

"We should hit a town in about forty-five minutes," Madison told Lily.

Lily didn't respond with anything more than a nod, but after a few minutes she glanced over at Madison and she asked: "what are you going to say to them"?

It was a question Lily had been dying to ask since Madison announced she was coming.

But, she didn't even know.

Madison shrugged. "I don't know," she told her honestly. "I want to scream at them, and cuss them, but I don't know. I don't care about them, I just want to know who my parents are and where they are, after everything—I deserve that, and they owe that to me".

"What if—"? Lily began but cut herself off before she could ask, knowing it wasn't a question she should ask.

"What if they are dead"? Madison asked. "Then at least Brooke could have the means to permanently keep me until I turn at eighteen, that is if she still wants, too".

"What do you mean"?

"I've have seen foster parents send kids away for a lot less than what I have done in the past forty-eight hours," Madison told Lily. "I wouldn't blame her—if you know, she decided she didn't want me anymore".

"I wouldn't worry about that" Lily told her. "Brooke, takes the good with the bad, she is going to be pissed at you, no doubt but she isn't going to throw you out like leftovers from dinner".

Madison sat back in her seat and nodded. "I hope not," she said. "I don't know what to expect with Brooke, but I know Jamie and I know how mad he probably is right now, that's why I didn't let him talk much on the phone. He is going to be, no he is pissed. I know it".

"Maybe he will punish you," Lily said smiling, deviously. "A spanking never hurt anyone".

"Oh, my god" Madison said her mouth hanging wide open as she looked over at Lily. "You're nasty".

"Don't knock it until you tried it?" Lily said. "Speaking of, I can't believe you didn't tell me that you and Jamie had sex, I mean we talked and talked about it, and then we just stopped I should have known".

"Shut up, Lilian" Madison said.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Okay, I know he is my cousin or something like that—so we are going to ignore that for a minute, how was it"?

"Are you serious"?

"I get the feeling that she is" the two heard Lucy from the back, though she had yet to move from her sleeping position. "Just tell her or we are going to spend the next hour listening to her come up with horrible theories".

Madison sighed as she sat the map down. "What do you want to know"?

Lily smiled. "I need to know if I need to give you tips"?

"You have sex with Chuck and you think I want tips from you"? Madison asked half laughing.

"Did you not hear your comment about spanking"? Lily asked shaking her head. "In a world where fifty shades of grey exist and you won't even think outside the box".

"Says who"? Madison asked. "I said 'you're nasty' I didn't say I hadn't tried that or anything else for that matter".

"Oh," Lily said smiling. "So, you're kinky"?

"I didn't say that either, what happens between Jamie and I is private, and intimate" Madison told her.

Lucy smiled. "That's romantic".

Lily rolled her eyes. "That's bull," she said. "I tell you everything".

"I don't remember ever asking about your intimate details to do with Chuck" Madison reminded her. "You just tell me, I really don't want to know that he can't last longer than a Coldplay song".

"Fine—then what about Jamie"? Lily asked, rolling her eyes. "What are we talking about there? Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, half an episode of friends"?

Madison smiled. "Grey's Anatomy—with the commercials".

Lily took her eyes off the road, long enough to stare at her friend and she couldn't help but ask "do you think you could get him to teach Chuck"?

"I'm not even going to have this conversation".

"Well, that confirms it—he is a Scott".

* * *

Brooke tightly secured her small travel bag over her shoulder as she walked across the open parking lot, towards the plane—which she found ridiculous enough. But, she was going to roll with it, at least that's what she told herself.

Haley seemed to be feeling the same because as Nathan walked near it with their luggage in hand, Haley stood back—arms crossed, shaking her head.

It made Brooke smile as she approached her friend. "You okay"? She asked, half curious but she pretty well assumed she knew the answer to that.

"At sixteen I didn't even own a car," Haley told her. "I drove one, but it was my parents. Then Nathan and I had that beat-up car—do you remember"?

Brooke laughed. "Honey, all of Tree Hill remembers that thing".

Haley elbowed her friend as she laughed. "But, yet my son has an expensive Tahoe and a freaking plane".

"You really need to start charging him rent".

Haley half-smiled. It couldn't hurt.

"Are you okay to travel"? Brooke asked, quietly though no one was close enough to hear them.

Haley arched an eyebrow. "I'm not allowed to fly in my last trimester, I'm fine".

"I meant sickness, I remember I got sick flying when I first found out I was pregnant".

"I haven't had any yet, but I said that with Lydia and then it all hit me overnight," Haley said smiling. "We tried for so long, and now I'm pregnant. When we stopped".

"And Nathan doesn't know"?

Haley shook her head.

"Oh, this feels like your pregnancy with Jamie all over again," Brooke said smiling. "I know, and no one else does".

"I was scared to tell him with Jamie," Haley said. "I'm not scared now, it's just—I haven't yet. I found out yesterday morning, then everything happened last night—than this. I don't want to blurt it out like it's just everyday conversation, I want to tell him privately as I did with both Lydia and Jamie".

"Which if I remember correctly were two very different reactions" Brooke pointed out.

Haley nodded, but she didn't respond when she looked up to see Nathan walking over towards the two.

"Some very nice guy is loading everything except our carry-on's," he told them. "Do I tip him"?

"Why don't you get the rest of Brooke's bags"? Haley said shaking her head, laughing.

"The rest"? He asked pointing the bag on her shoulder.

"This is my carry-on, those are my bags," Brooke said pointing to the large suitcases sitting over by themselves.

"I'm definitely going to have tip him" Nathan moaned as he walked away.

Haley laughed, but couldn't help but ask "Brooke, what the hell did you pack"?

Brooke shrugged. "I brought somethings for me and some for Madison, so she has options on what to wear to meet these people—I don't even know what to call them. They aren't her parents, maybe I will know after she speaks with them".

Haley rubbed her friend's arm. "You're going to let her go see them"?

Brooke turned to look at her and said "I was against it, hell—I'm still against it. But, she deserves answers, this isn't just about her being able to live with me—this is about who she is. I can understand why she did it, I used to pray that I was adopted and my real parents were out there somewhere, and I couldn't wait to go find them—granted I was ten, but I think we all deserve to know where we come from, even if we don't like it".

"So, you learned the hard truth that your parents are really your parents"? Haley teased.

Brooke nodded. "I had to just assume that no one would give their child to the Davis'" she said.

"Hey" they heard.

Brooke and Peyton turned around to see Peyton walking up with Jake, Deb, and Keith.

"What are you doing here—what's he doing here"? Haley asked pointing to Keith. "Can he fly"?

"He can talk for himself" Keith informed them. "And yes he can".

"I talked to his doctor, he said it was perfectly safe," Deb told them.

"Skills would you hurry up" Peyton called.

Haley and Brooke looked to find Skills with bags draped over him in every direction.

"Nah, bro" Skills moaned, sarcastically. "I don't need no help, it's all good".

Brooke and Haley laughed.

Skills dropped all the bags and kicked one over to Andre. "As part of your punishment" he said. "Take all those bags over to be loaded".

Andre, unlike most teenagers, would have, didn't complain and simply took a handful of bags across the open lot.

"What a punishment"! Deb said. "Here take bags over to the big fancy plane".

"Where are the kids"? Brooke asked. "You were watching them".

"With Clay and Quinn, Lucas came and took them so I could pick Deb and Keith up," Peyton told them. "He was also picking Chuck up".

"Chuck is going"! Haley moaned, wanting to stomp her foot like a child—but she didn't, although she wanted that noted.

"Gretchen had to go to the hospital, and she was admitted so Chase called Lucas—".

"Is she okay"?

"They are monitoring her, but it sounds like she should be fine," Lucas said as he approached them, with Chuck not far behind. "They just didn't want to leave him by himself".

"I'm sixteen, I don't need a baby sitter" Chuck moaned. "This is ridiculous, I can at the house by myself—if my girlfriend can cross the country without adult supervision, I can sit at home and watch Netflix by myself".

"Well, your girlfriend did it without permission," Peyton told him. "Why don't you help Andre Carey the bags".

"Why, they aren't my bags"?

"Girlfriend"? Keith asked. "Your Lily's boyfriend"?

Chuck looked up and immediately recognized Keith from the number of pictures he had seen. "Here let me get that for you," he told Jake taking the suitcase out of his hand. "These go, too"? He asked pointing at the bags on the ground next to them.

Snickers and a little laughter followed as Chuck gathered up the remainder bags Andre had not been able to pack and took off towards the plane.

"That's Lily's boyfriend"? Keith asked, once more.

"If that's what you want to call it," Lucas said shaking his head.

"Alright" Deb interjected before Keith could say, or ask anything else. "Let's go, we are going to go on and get on the plane".

* * *

_**A/N thanks for reading!**_

**_So, for the next chapter, I can do one of two things that I'm debating on, but I'm going to let my loyal, amazing readers decide._**

**_I can jump right into the storyline of Madison or I can write a little bit of a fun chapter. The whole group is traveling to Texas, again, to get Madison and the girls, just like they had to get Mouth so I can make the chapter a play off of one of my favorite episodes or I can dive straight into them finding Madison._**

**_Obviously, there is a lot of emotions around the girls just taking off but I can make it a fun._**

**_Leave a comment which you would like to read._**

**_The 'Jamie owning a plane' storyline is a bit far fetched, but so is everyone in Tree Hill becoming famous._**

**_In case you're confused about that at the end of season seven (I believe) Dan gave all his riches away, or at least that's what Rachel though. He actually put them in Jamie's name, and Jamie has inherited everything. At the time Dan was very wealthy, so all that had gone to Jamie, and the fortune has even grown over the years by stocks, timesharing, and renting things that Dan has owned._**

**_Like I said far fetched, but the plane storyline was just me trying to stall on them getting there, just so I could have that Brucas moment. lol._**

**_But, they are moving forward with their relationship, slowly but surely._**

**_Haley is pregnant, and Nathan will find out, soon. But, she wants to tell him alone. As most women do._**

**_With Madison, Lily, and Lucy, most of their parts in this chapter was short. I was trying to keep them in the chapter but at the same time, I didn't have a lot to go off of so I just rolled with a few random things teens talk about._**

**_Leave a review, let me know what you think, and which you prefer for the next chapter!_**

**_Until next time!_**


	23. Chapter 23

_**Three Updates? One week? **_

_**Why, yes!**_

_**I did try to make this a fun chapter, The first half is basically nonsense, but the closer to the end you get there is a little bit more heavy storylines. **_

_**I hope I did a good Job balancing it out. **_

_**As for the start I absolutely love the actor who played Dan, he was the villain we all had a crush on at some point, don't deny it you did too.**_

_**Do not read forward if you have a problem with sex, teenaged sex, or anything that may be used in soap :) **_

_**Thanks for reading! **_

* * *

There he was.

Dan Scott.

In all his "glory", although Keith wasn't sure it was the correct word for it but that's what he went with.

It was the first time in his life he had ever been on a private jet—that he could remember which wasn't saying a lot these days, and the first thing he saw was a giant picture of his brother.

You know? The one who tried to kill him.

"What in the name of Satan is that"? Keith heard and turned to find Deb walking into the plane behind him. "Actually, you know I think I answered my own question—but why"?

"And why so big"? Keith asked.

"Probably because his head wouldn't fit in anything smaller than a twenty-four by thirty-six," Deb said instantly, earning a strange look from the man next to her. "You didn't honestly think I made a choice to have Dan Scott plastered over every wall, did you? I couldn't even get family pictures done without it looking like it belonged in the Smithsonian—and not for its delicate taste".

Keith chuckled.

"What in God's name"? The two heard and turned around to see Nathan walking in with Haley.

"You're a little off," Deb told her son. "Think a little further south—or a couple of light-years away".

Haley shook her head. "I already get nauseous when I fly, that is going to make it worse," she told her husband.

"Is that what Donald Trump would look like if he had his real hair"? They all heard and turned around to find Chuck standing behind him.

Nathan wanted to roll his eyes, but the harder he looked at the picture—the worse the mental image became.

"That's the picture they took when he became Mayor, he hung it everywhere," Nathan said. "I think it's even on his tombstone".

"I always thought it made him look constipated," Deb said shaking his head.

Keith, who was beyond shocked by the revelation just had to ask "he was mayor? The people of our town, voted for him—as mayor"?

"Over Karen" Haley pointed out. "Now, which is harder to believe"?

"Oh—what in the living hell is that"? They heard and turned around to see Lucas walking in with his ex-wife, Jake, and Brooke.

"See"? Deb asked pointing to her son. "That's how you ask about it—you don't bring God into this mess".

"If mom wasn't already dead—that picture would have killed her," Lucas said crossing his arms. "Why is it so big"?

"Probably because his head is so big he had to step into his shirts in the mornings," Brooke said.

Deb clicked her tongue. "You can skip ahead, I already covered that".

Peyton tilted her head. "Why is smiling like—"?

"Like what? A sociopath? A narcissist"? Lucas asked her. "Doesn't that answer itself"?

"Oh, my god—whose the old guy"? They heard yet another voice and turned to find Andre had joined the ever-growing crowd—quickly followed by Skills and Mouth.

"That's Dan—Lucas and Nate's dad," Skills told him.

"Why is the picture so big"? Mouth asked.

"Can we not go over this again"? Deb asked shaking her head.

Lucas paused. "I have a better question, why is it here"?

Nathan, unfortunately, knew that. "Well, this was his before he died so—".

"So, you're telling me that Jamie didn't hang this up as a shrine"? Lucas asked. "That's relieving".

"Can we at least take it down—it hurts to look at?" Peyton said.

Nathan and Lucas both shrugged before they stepped forward and attempted to pull it off the wall—and that's all they could do.

Lucas shook his head. "The bastard has the thing bolted to the wall".

The group jumped at the sound of a high pitched screeching sound and turned to find Jamie walking from the hallway with a power drill in his hand.

"I thought my Texas chain saw massacre nightmares were coming to life," Brooke said, with her hand over her chest.

Jamie had to laugh, as he walked over and sunk the drill into one of the sides of the portrait, and removed one of the nails—before handing it off to his father. He did the same with the other corners before the picture finally came off the wall.

Brooke tilted her head. "I don't know what's more unattractive the picture, or the built-up years of dirt that was behind it," she said.

Haley ignored Brooke, turning to face her son and asked: "would you like to explain to me why you have power tools"? She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer, that she hoped she would get. "You're sixteen, and they are dangerous—they aren't to play with".

"Play with"? Jamie asked. "I'm sixteen, I'm not running around with them in the back of my pants, I took the picture down that everyone is in here complaining about".

"And your father or uncle Lucas could have just as easily done it".

"Okay, so do they know where they were? Or the code to get in—I am so tired of being treated like a kid".

"Do you know why you're treated like a kid"? Haley asked. "Because, you are—you're just sixteen, you're not adult—".

"Before you say anything else mom let me just remind you I'm not that much younger than you were when you got married—".

"Alright," Nathan intervented, his voice deep and stern. "You're not going to talk to your mom like that, I don't care whose damn plane this or whatever else, she is still your mother".

"I'm not saying anything other than facts, dad" Jamie told him holding his hands up. "That's all I said, so does that mean in six months when I turn seventeen you two will stop treating me like a damn kid"?

"No one is treating you like a kid," Nathan told him. "And watch your damn mouth".

"You literally just contradicted yourself," Jamie told him. "It's my mouth if I want to curse or do whatever the hell else, I should be able to—you do. If no one is treating me like a kid, why does it matter what I say? Or do? I know why she is upset because I've had sex—which you felt obligated to announce to the whole freaking world—".

"Excuse me—" they all heard and turned to see a man standing in the doorway. "Are we ready for take-off"?

"Yeah," Jamie told him before walking away, disappearing behind a cabin door.

They all stood in silence for a second, before Haley—frustrated went to go after him, but when she opened the door saw her son was nowhere in sight. "Where did he go"? She asked.

"There are a few different zones," the man who they assumed to be the captain told them. "This area here has a lot of seating, you see there is a couch and a big screen tv, there are actually three TVs in this area—".

"But, where is he"? Haley asked. "I can't kill him if I can't find him".

"The bedroom, I would assume," he told her. "You are those cabin doors, they are automated—you can only open and close them from the other side, so that's where he is".

"There is a bedroom"? Lucas asked. "On a plane"?

The captain nodded. "There is also a shower back there if you need it, but there is a bathroom over here as well—the gallery is fully stocked, he said you didn't need a flight attendant but there is champagne and food, here".

"Oh, wow—thank you," Brooke said.

"If we're ready—we can take off," the captain said awkwardly looking at the frustrated mother.

"Yeah," Nathan said. "Let's go".

* * *

"She isn't my wife anymore so I can't tell her what to do, do you mind asking her to sit down"? Lucas asked Jake as the two sat in two of the most comfortable recliners known to man—both stretched out.

Jake chuckled. "Could you ever tell her what to do"?

"Good point," Lucas said shrugging.

Jake looked over at Peyton who was still looking through the many drawers, cabinets, and even searching the refrigerator's—yes, that was meant to be plural. "Peyton"? Jake said, in the sweetest voice he could—make it alarmingly obvious he wanted something, or needed something—which is why he assumed she ignored him. "Peyton," he said her name again, this time a little louder, and not so sweet.

"What"? She asked turning around with a bottle in her hand, that he assumed had liquor in it.

"Could you please sit down? You're driving us all nuts" he told her.

"I'm—who"?

"Well, there's me—and Luke" he listed.

"Oh, you're not bothering me," Luke said smiling. "I didn't even notice you had got up".

Jake turned around to look at Luke with his mouth hanging wide open. "You did that on purpose".

"Did what"? Lucas asked, smiling.

"You're an ass," Jake told him.

Lucas smiled until he saw Peyton disappear far enough that she knew she couldn't hear him and he said: "you two are just dating, that could still go all to hell—".

"Like your marriage"? Jake shot back, also smiling.

"Good point, but I still have a child with her—why do you think I set you up"?

"I really want to say some smart ass comment—but I get it".

The two laughed as Peyton walked in with a handful of champagne glasses.

"What in the hell are you doing"? Lucas asked his ex-wife, although he was knew on some level he was immediately going to regret it.

"We should toast," she said as she began handing everyone a glass. "This is a cause for a celebration".

"You want to celebrate our teenaged runaways"? Mouth asked arching an eyebrow.

"No," Peyton said, but then squinted her lips together just slightly. "Okay, maybe a little—but I have a good reason".

"I'm excited to hear this" Brooke said sarcastically.

"Once upon a time, almost seventeen years ago—we went on a little trip, very similar to this one," Peyton said as she began pouring everyone's cup full of crystal liquid. "And on that trip, we were also chasing after a teenaged runaway".

"I did not run away," Mouth said.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "No, you were just crossing the country with the she-devil"

"Who ironically later married Dan and became Mrs. Satan" Nathan pointed out.

"Dan married one of your classmates"? Keith asked.

Nathan chuckled. "Between him and mom, I'm sure they cleared the whole roster".

Keith looked over his shoulder at Deb, who let out a long breath, and simply shook her head—indicating she wasn't explaining that anytime soon.

"Honey grove, Texas," Peyton said sitting down. "We were a bunch of seniors—and look how far we have come".

"Yeah, you're right the last time we took Rachel's Denali, this time we are on their son's private jet," Brooke said shaking her head.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure Rachel had a large hand in picking this out" Nathan commented.

Haley patted Nathan's knee. "It doesn't".

"Aww, damn," Skills said followed by a long moan, that was not settling to the rest of the group. "These chairs have built-in vibrators—daddy knows what his doing tonight when we land".

"He appreciates Rachel" Nathan told his wife.

"Yeah, so did your dad, your uncle Cooper, Mouth—".

"Cooper"? Keith asked turning to look at Deb. "Who the hell was this girl"?

"Lucy's mother," Mouth told him sitting back into his seat.

"And Lucy is—"?

"His long lost spawn" Skills said without opening his eyes, as he continued to relax in his chair.

"Alright," Peyton said gaining everyone's attention. "Enough about Satan in a dress, please—does anyone realize this is the first trip we have taken since then".

"It is not," Haley told her. "We have been all kinds of trips".

"Not all of us—together, like we are now" Peyton pointed out. "Think about it, when was the last time we took a trip like this"?

Haley and Brooke shared a glance, Nathan looked over at Skills—who had opened his eyes at this point, Lucas leaned back into his seat, Mouth glanced up at Peyton—as they all came to the realization that she was right.

The trips they had been on was almost countless, the times they spent together were numerous, but taking a trip together, had been years.

"Honey grove," Lucas said. "That was the last time we went on a trip like this together—".

"And we are going to the same state" Peyton told him. "If Honeygrove wasn't a four hour trip from where we are going, I would say let's stop in—see if it's the same".

"See if Mouth's mugshot is still hanging on the wall in the police department" Skills told them.

"Mouth"? Keith asked. "Mouth was arrested"?

"Not exactly—" Nathan said.

"The mugshot was a formality" Mouth interjected. "So, this is our first trip together since then"? He asked, trying to keep them on subject before he listened to a thirty conversation around his arrest.

"I got to say though, this is much nicer than that trip" Skills said. "Especially when over there blew the Engine up".

"On the side of the road—in the middle of the night" Lucas informed him. "Don't forget that part, that's the best part".

Brooke narrowed her eyes at Lucas, but in the sexiest way possible. It made him smile, instantly—followed by a laugh, if she was threatening him he couldn't tell. Peyton wasn't the only one who noticed the non-verbal flirt between the two, but she smiled as she leaned into Jake—watching the former couple.

"If I remember correctly, it was all so Haley could see a sandwich," Brooke said reminded everyone.

"Hey"! Haley said folding her arms.

"Oh, no—no," Lucas said leaning out of his seat. "Don't blame Haley for that".

"Thank you," Haley said gesturing toward her friend.

"I'm sorry isn't that what you did, back then"? Brooke asked, simply toying with him.

"I was tired, I failed to realize that you were the one behind the wheel when the Check Engine light came on—and would you like to tell everyone why you didn't pull off"? Lucas teased. "Just a reminder—in case we forgot".

Brooke tried not to laugh, as she remembered the reason her eighteen-year-old self made. "I can't seem to—recall," she said, with biting down on her lip to keep from smiling.

Lucas nudged Keith and said, "get this, she didn't wake any of us or pull off because the light was pretty, it was pretty".

Keith chuckled, and Brooke lunges a throw pillow across the room at Lucas. "Shut up," she said. "Peyton's right—we should toast, or celebrate or something—although, I'm with Mouth. I really don't want to celebrate my teenage runaway".

"No, we should toast this, us," Haley told them. "Do you know how rare it is for a group of people to come together in high school and stay friends as long as we have? One or two, maybe—but there seven? That's almost never heard of, we are lucky—blessed".

"So, to us"? Brooke asked smiling.

Keith and Deb watched as the group all clinked their glasses, and each one drinking down their champagne, all except Haley. Which thanks to Brooke went unnoticed as she slid her the glass she had just emptied and took Haley's out of her hand, before beginning to pour it down her throat.

"Who wants more"? Peyton asked, but didn't wait for anyone to respond before she began pouring everyone another glass.

"Prada" Brooke whispered to Haley. "You're going to owe me, Prada, by the time we get off of here".

Haley smiled up at Peyton as she poured both of their glasses to the rim before she heard Brooke "and free babysitting".

* * *

Haley laughed, she knew by the looks of things she was going to owe Brooke way more than Prada, but right now all she could do was laugh.

Everyone else just assumed Brooke had a low alcohol tolerance when Haley knew the truth. For every drink the group had, Brooke had two—every glass, every shot that had been passed around—which now had resulted in Brooke attempting to keep up with the beat of the music.

"Brooke—maybe you should sit down," Haley told her, attempting to keep herself composed—the best that she could. "You're going to break something".

"Is that an old joke—that's very ageist of you?" Brooke said as she tilted her head back. "Plus, I'm not old—I'm young".

"I never said you were old," Haley told her, her laughter finally coming through. "But, if you don't sit down you're going to end up on America's funniest home videos".

"Is that still on the air"? Keith asked. "I used to watch that every night"

"I don't think anything is on the air anymore—not with all the streaming sights," Lucas told him, though his eyes were glued to the drunk girl who had tumbled on to the couch with Haley—giggling.

"Streaming"? Keith asked.

Nathan nodded. "It's the new way of watching television and movies, at first I think it was to save money—or something. But, now I have all the streaming sights—and spend just as much like cable, plus my cable bill".

Jake chuckled. "You might be the only person I know who still has cable".

"There is something—" Nathan began but was joined by his wife "so poetic about watching a basketball game, live".

Nathan narrowed his eyes at Haley, who smiled ear to ear, it was hilariously clear to the rest of the group that this wasn't the first time Nathan had ever made the statement.

"You're not funny," Nathan told Haley, sipping on his champagne. "What's wrong with wanting to watch basketball—on cable, like the good ole days"?

"Nothing at all" Lucas said chuckling. "Grandpa".

"Excuse me"?

Jake patted Nathan on the back and said "the good ole days"? He repeated. "You sound like an eighty-year-old instead of a thirty-year-old".

"Not to mention—ESPN has a streaming sight" Skills told him. "And it's live, basketball, baseball, football—you can watch all of it for seventy dollars less—".

"What are you their spokesperson"? Mouth asked, half laughing.

Like a child, Skills stuck his tongue out at his friend, before throwing back the rest of his champagne. "We need beer up in this joint, this ain't gonna cut it Dawg".

Nathan pointed and said, "check through there, he said everything was fully stocked".

Keith shook his head. "So, I can get ESPN—for what seven dollars a month"?

Lucas nodded. "You get a good deal if you get the Disney+ bundle," he told him. "So, you can get ESPN—Hulu, and Disney".

"No, Mouth—he is their spokesperson," Jake said throwing his thumb in Lucas's direction.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he said.

"How—you have Disney+"? Mouth asked.

Lucas scoffed. "I have a child and a teenager, and me—the bundle is efficient".

"I don't seem to remember seeing Sawyer, or Lily with you when Brooke and I found you watching Bambi," Peyton told him.

"Crying—don't forget that part," Brooke said, teasing him from earlier. "That's the best part".

Lucas circled his finger around the top of his champagne glass, listening to the glistening sound it made—feeling everyone look at him. And he knew there were only two ways out of this, he could lie, or—

"A hunter killed his mother—you're just heartless if you can sit through that and not be affected"! Lucas said.

The group laughed and Haley said, "don't feel bad, Nathan cries every time we watch the lion, King".

Nathan looked across the room at his wife "I didn't cry, there was something in my eye".

"Every time we have watched it"? Haley asked. "For eighteen years".

"Y—yes," Nathan said folding his arms but was unable to keep his smile under control.

"In Nathan's defense—that Scar and Mufasa scene wrecked me as a child" Mouth said.

Nathan gestured at his friend and said: "thank you".

Haley scoffed. "You should have seen him when we watched the live version—".

"Have you seen the live version of the movie"? Nathan cut his wife off—the alcohol sipping into his veins at this point. "You know, I didn't realize how dark that movie was until I watched the live-action version—".

"Jack freaking pot" they heard Skills yell, but couldn't see him.

"The live version will destroy your life," Jake said shaking his head. "I'm not going to lie—I teared up in the theater, Jenny still hasn't let me live it down".

Mouth nodded. "Like I said—it wrecks you".

"You little pretty boys don't know wrecked," Brooke said. "Try watching Disney princess movies growing up, all their moms are dead, it's probably why Peyton wore as much black as she did in high school".

"All the moms aren't dead," Jake told her.

Peyton nodded and looked at her boyfriend and said: "okay, name one".

"We were just talking about The Lion King, his mom," he said.

"I believe Brooke said Disney princess" Haley reminded him.

"Well—there is—Dumbo" Jake said his drunken stupor seeping through his speech.

Lucas leaned forward. "Was Dumbo a girl"?

"I thought Dumbo was a boy—" Nathan said.

"Oh, my god" Deb intervened. "Dumbo was a freaking elephant, regardless boy or girl, it doesn't count. You can't be a Disney princess if you can't wear a dress—but you answer your stupid question Dumbo was a boy"!

Everyone looked at Deb, honestly having forgotten she was there—as she sat back with her arms folded after her little outburst, or at least that's the way she was phrasing it.

"Geese, lighten up," Nathan told his mom.

Lucas tapped his brother on the knee "is your mom on drugs again"?

Nathan shrugged. "I've tried to get her to see some therapy—".

"It's go-to" Deb cut her son off. "It's go to therapy, you can't see some therapy, and out of everyone in here I'm the least that needs therapy. You all just had a twenty-minute conversation about Disney—and you're grown-ass adults".

"You're never too old for Disney" Skills said as he came dancing back into the room with two hands full of large liquor bottles. "No beer," he said.

"You're flying in a private jet" Mouth said. "You didn't honestly believe they are stocked up on bud light, did you"?

"No—maybe, but I found something better whiskey and wine".

"My two favorite W's," Brooke said clapping.

Deb looked at Keith and then the two proceeded to watch the group pass the bottles around. "I don't think you need any more, any of you".

"The part poppers can go to the conference room," Nathan said pointing.

Deb looked at Keith and whispered "party popper"?

"He meant pooper" Lucas informed them.

"Alright, then—let's go," Deb told Keith.

Keith and Deb stood up and walked into the conference room, shutting the cabin door behind them.

"Look what I found," Brooke said smiling. "Twister—".

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Haley asked.

"Why wouldn't it be"? Brooke asked.

"We are on a moving plane, and you're drinking wine out of a champagne glass—maybe we should use our better judgment".

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You're no fun".

* * *

"What are you doing"?

Brooke jumped at the sound of Lucas' voice, she turned around from one of the cabinets she was tearing apart—and smiled. "Where did Skills find the wine"?

Lucas smiled, reaching past her head—and pulled a bottle out, that was directly in front of her. "Here you go," he said, handing it to her.

"Oh," Brooke said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, biting down on her bottom lip. "Than—thank you".

Brooke looked up at Lucas, and in the midst of her intoxicated state, all she could seem to think about was the kiss, the kisses. It was all she could seem to think about anyways, but right now—at this moment, she found it was hard to think about anything else.

She also couldn't shake it from her mind that she hadn't had sex, in almost two years. That was in the front of her mind, and there was a part of her that wondered just how much had changed since the last time she saw Lucas Scott naked, his technique? Other things—?

"What"? Lucas asked, placing a hand on either side of the counter she was leaning her body against bending down so that they were face to face, effectively pinning her against the counter. "What are you thinking about"?

"Nothing" Brooke lied—not so smoothly.

Clearly, Lucas didn't believe her, but he didn't say anything else about the matter.

"We need to get back," Brooke told him, fighting all urges to kiss him—or more.

The two heard the rolling noises and echo of laughter coming from the other side of the plane. "I don't think we're missed," he said as he brushed her hair back.

"Peyton is—right out there," she said, though it was more for her and less for him.

Lucas nodded. "My ex-wife is sitting with her boyfriend".

"She deserves to hear it from me," Brooke told him.

Lucas smiled. "So, there is something to tell"?

Brooke sat the wine bottle down and folded her arms. "You would like that wouldn't you"?

"I can't say I'd complain, that's for damn sure".

"It's complicated" Brooke admitted. "When it comes to my feelings, and my grief—for Julian, and then there is Peyton, but—".

"But, what"?

"I also—can't deny what I feel for you," Brooke said, looking up at him sternly. "Underneath all that anger for telling me that you—that you still care about me—".

"I believe what I said was that I love you".

Brooke looked directly into his eyes. "You get really balsy when you drink," she said. "But, I don't know what to do with that—I do know that—I don't regret kissing you, but I don't know where we go from here".

Lucas didn't give her time to say anything else, he scooped Brooke up—kissing her, and the two made their way into the confided bathroom.

The close quarters made it so much easier to breathe him in, to taste him. Brooke felt Lucas sit her down on top of the sink, but she didn't remove her legs that were currently wrapped around his waist.

As their lips, and tongues moved in unison she could taste the liquor, but she couldn't tell if it was his or hers.

Brooke leaned back, breaking apart their kiss as her back laid against the small mirror that was hung on the wall. She smiled, as she looked at him—curiosity getting the best of her, or maybe it was the alcohol.

"We can't," Lucas said, as he looked down at Brooke, who was flushed in the fast—and breathing heavy. "As much fun as this would be, we can't".

"Oh, yeah"? She asked.

Lucas scooped her back up and pinned her against the wall. "I need more than thirty-four inches of space, I need to have my full range of motion".

Brooke felt Lucas sit her back on her feet, and he kissed her—one more time, before leaving her alone in the bathroom.

Maybe it was the alcohol clouding her judgment, maybe it was the fact that she hadn't had sex since Julian had died—or maybe it was him. Lucas. It was easy to be angry with him when he told her, but now she somehow found it almost impossible.

* * *

"Wait—when did this happen"? Haley asked as she watched Brooke pour the wine in her glass, into her own. "We are all responsible for teenagers, in some way or another".

"And failing miserably," Brooke said, sipping on the wine.

"I'll toast to that" Mouth said holding his glass up. "Can you toast with whiskey"?

"It's in a champagne glass, so I say go for it," Jake said shrugging.

Haley looked at Brooke. "No one is failing—parents make mistakes, it's human".

Brooke poured the last bit of wine into her glass and asked: "how many tattoos does Jamie have"?

Haley shrugged. "Two or three".

Brooke made a ridiculous sound, in an attempt to sound like a buzzer. "Wrong. Seven".

"Seven"? Haley asked.

Brooke nodded. "That's what Madison said".

Nathan looked at Brooke. "He showed us".

"Oh, he showed you what he couldn't hide around basketball season—according to Peyton you didn't even know that he had a dad tattoo," she said. "He also has one his hip a Rose, it's low, like really low. So, you wouldn't ever see it—".

"Then how have you"? Nathan asked.

Brooke held a phone up "Maddie's phone" she said. "But, Haley doesn't support snooping so—".

"Oh, give me the damn thing," Haley said snatching the phone out of her drunk friend's hand. "What's the code to this thing".

"Two, six, forty, two," Brooke said.

Nathan scooted over next to Haley, but he wasn't the only one, everyone else apparently had to get a glance as well.

"I'd be careful, there are pictures on there of your son I'm sure you don't want to—".

"Oh, my god" Haley yelled tossing the phone. "Did you see that"? She asked, turning to Nathan.

"How could I not—it took up the—oh, my god," Nathan said shaking his head. "That was in our bathroom, now I know what takes him so long—that's emotionally traumatizing".

"I'm scarred for life," Haley said.

"Well, at least we know where that tattoo is," Lucas said, half laughing.

"And he has more"? Nathan asked Brooke.

She nodded. "He has one on each side of one ankle and one on the inside of his lip, apparently it's a trend".

Haley looked up. "Please tell me she is kidding".

"It says bite me, I think—Maddie has one, too if it makes you feel better".

Haley shook her head. "It doesn't," she said. "We are failing as parents".

"See, she finally joined the club".

Nathan ignored Brooke. "We are not failing, all teenagers act out and do things that pisses their parents off—you got a tattoo in high school".

"Oh, my god Nathan—I got one," she said. "That you can't even see unless I'm wearing a bikini. Or I'm naked—Which makes me a hypocrite for getting mad at him? Right"?

"No," Nathan said.

"Yes," Brooke talked over him. "That's exactly what I was thinking—like how can I get mad, in good conscience at Madison for traveling across the country when I did it. We all did it, Mouth can't get mad because if he hadn't Lucy wouldn't be here—".

"I checked with my mom so I can very much be pissed Lily all I want," Lucas said.

Brooke shook her head. "But, you still did it—".

"I was eighteen".

"You were still in high school, we all were and the worst part, none of you can sit here and tell me that wasn't one the best vacations of your life".

Skills looked at her. "I don't think it actually counts as a vacation there B. Davis".

"And even if we had parents who had said no, do you think we wouldn't have gone"? Brooke asked. "Mouth needed us, and we would have gone regardless. Madison needed her friends, and they went. Do we have a reason to be upset, or angry"?

"Okay," Lucas said taking her empty glass. "I think you're done".

"Poke her in the belly and see what comes out," Peyton said smiling.

"I dreaded having twin boys in high school, it's my biggest fear. But, then I get Madison who is this perfect teenager, she is the exact opposite of me" Brooke rambled. "She doesn't sleep around, she does well in school—without even trying, she has a great work ethic, she plays sports, she doesn't party and when she does she is responsible—and she makes a really bad judgment call but for the right reason. Am I supposed to punish her? How do you punish someone for chasing after who they are—even if it ends badly? But, how bad could it end—she might find her parents, and they might be alive and well, and that is just a bad end for me, not for her. She would finally know who she is. She has spent sixteen years just guessing and wondering, but now she could really know".

Haley took Brooke's hand and squeezed it. "Brooke, she loves you—she wouldn't leave you".

"You honestly think if she found out her parents were alive, that she would stay"? Brooke asked. "She loves me and she looks at Jamie like he hangs the stars in the sky, but do you think there is anything that could keep her in Tree Hill if there was even a shot at a family"?

Haley wanted to answer her, Peyton did, too. Everyone in the room wanted to tell her that it was all going to be okay.

But, no one could.

* * *

"Are you okay"? Haley heard as she felt her husband wrap his arms tightly around her waist.

Haley nodded.

"I don't believe you," he said.

Haley turned around, stepping out of Nathan's embrace, took his hand, and guided him around the corner—out of everyone's eyesight and hearing range. The two sat down on the small bench next to the mini-fridge, and Nathan ran his hand down the back of his wife's head—cupping her neck.

"Whatever it is you can tell me," he said, grazing her skin with his thumb.

Haley knew that. She didn't need to be reminded, but it was a lot to swallow. Or say. "Brooke's right—we are failing, as parents".

Nathan chuckled. "Brooke is drunk, she also tried to stick a grape up Jake's nose—I wouldn't take anything she says to heart".

"Except that it's true," Haley said. "Or it feels like it, a year ago we had this fifteen-year-old who we knew everything about. He talked to us, he would come home from school and tell us all about his day, he told me his dreams—now I find out everything else about him from anyone but him. I feel like I don't even know who he is, I carried him—I Birthed him, I have raised him, and it's like I don't even recognize who he is".

"Hales, he is a teenager—he isn't going to come home and tell his mom everything about his day," Nathan told her. "I didn't".

"That's different, you had Deb as a mom".

Nathan nodded. "Fair point," he said. "But, I'm sure if you ask Lucas he will tell you the same thing, and he had a good relationship with Karen. Boys don't want to talk about their feelings or their problems with their mom".

"Why"? Haley asked standing up stuffing her hands into her back pockets. "He used to—he used to tell me everything, we would sit and talk for hours. Why doesn't he want to talk to me? I am a very good listener. He talks to you—clearly, you knew he had sex and I didn't. He talks to you. He tells you things and Luke, and but he used to talk to me. When he was little I was the one who kissed his scraped knee, I was the one he ran to when he had a bad dream, now I am no where on his list of people to talk to when he is upset or hurt or just having an everyday problem. I'm his mom, he should want to talk to me. Why doesn't he"?

Nathan looked up at his wife and ran his hands through his messy hair. "You just answered your own question, baby," he said taking her hand, pulling her into his lap. "He isn't a kid anymore, you know I love you—more than anything, but the older he got, the more he grew up, the harder you have held on to him and his childhood. Have you considered that maybe that's why he gets tattoo's or got his tongue pierced, or does half the things he does or says half the things he says"?

Haley looked at him and asked, "like have sex"?

Nathan shook his head. "No, I don't think he did that to show you he is growing up, he did not want you finding out about that".

"Why not"?

"Our wedding night, did you call your mom—or your dad and tell them"? Nathan asked.

Haley shook her head. "No, I assumed they knew—it wasn't something I wanted to talk about with them".

"Okay," Nathan said rubbing her leg. "Was it something you ever talked about with them"?

"My parents were the king and queen of inappropriate comments," Haley told him. "Sex came up, a lot".

"With your mom" Nathan pointed out. "What about with your dad"?

Haley looked at Nathan and immediately stood up. "No," she said. "But, Nathan that was my dad—did you ever go up to him and talk about our sex life"?

"Oh, hell no," Nathan said. "I valued my life, but just like that was your dad, you are his mom—the way you felt talking about sex around Jimmie is the way he feels around you. Sex and you make him very uncomfortable, have you not noticed anytime we are watching a movie and a sex scene comes on he suddenly has to use the bathroom or needs more butter for his popcorn—whatever excuse he can think of to leave the room".

"And he told you this"?

Nathan shook his head. "No, I was the same way, my mom once had Pretty Woman on when I was in high school I excused myself so much by the second half of the movie my mom thought I had irritable bowel syndrome".

Haley couldn't help but laugh and laugh.

Nathan found no humor in it, but he laughed anyway—just because she did. Her laugh, her smile, it was all contagious. Even during this particular conversation.

When she was done laughing, Haley sat back down—next to Nathan and she shook her head. "Okay, so—he is uncomfortable watching a movie with a sex scene with me. Is it more The Notebook, or Fifty Shades of Grey? Or both? Is it all sex? A lot of my favorite movies have passionate scenes in them, do I need to watch them in our room—the living room has the biggest television, and I'm a Nicholas Sparks fanatic".

Nathan dropped his head. "Sometimes it's about being uncomfortable—watching it with you, sometimes it's something else".

"Oh, God," Haley said. "Please don't tell me what I think you're going to tell me".

"I always had a crush on Julia Roberts," Nathan said, his voice low. "So, when she was half-naked on a screen—".

"Nathan".

"It is a lot harder to control that when you are a hormonal teenager," he said.

Haley covered her hands with her face. "I don't know what's more traumatizing you and Julia Roberts, or Jamie and Jenifer Lopez".

"But, that's the point—if that bothers you why would you want him to talk to you about sex? About his sex life"? Nathan asked. "I mean you were just curious why he didn't tell you? But, even thinking about him being a—a little extra happy wigs you out".

"Wigs me out"? Haley repeated. "We aren't in the Scream franchise".

Nathan chuckled. "Hales".

Haley shrugged. "I just want him to talk to me, you knew—clearly he talks to you," she said. "Which you're not off the hook for not telling me by the way—but why are you okay with it? Why does it not—wig you out"? She asked, rolling her eyes as she asked the ridiculous question.

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know, it doesn't bother me. I'm his dad, fathers and sons are different—I told my dad when I lost my virginity".

"I don't think that's the best example," Haley said.

Nathan nodded. "You're right, but Keith was always like Luke's dad and he told Keith when he lost his".

Haley looked at him. "So, when Lydia loses her virginity you want her to come and tell you".

"God, no" Nathan said. "She needs to stay a virgin until she is forty, or I'm dead—whichever comes first".

"So, you can sit down and talk about sex with your son and not your daughter, that's very—well, that's double standards".

Nathan shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he said. "I see how it can be perceived that way but it's all based on the relationship, a father and daughter relationship is very different than a father and son, just like a mother and son relationship is very different than a mother and daughter. You just said it yourself earlier, you had conversations with your mom about our sex life but never did with your dad".

Haley narrowed her eyes at her husband.

Nathan didn't laugh, but he did smile. "I have had conversations with my mom about sex, it's about the relationship you have with that parent".

"But, you just said it made you uncomfortable watching a sex scene with her" Haley pointed out.

"Would you look at who my mother is"? He asked. "Everything she does makes me uncomfortable," he said. "I found her naked, in our pool—while she was babysitting our son".

Haley had to give him that one.

"Admit it," Nathan said. "The fact that Jamie isn't a virgin—it's killing you, it's bothering you".

Haley looked at Nathan, and she couldn't believe it, he was right. She nodded, slowly—as she swallowed the large pill of her husband being correct. "Yeah—it does. He used to tell me that he wanted to wait until marriage—and I believed him".

Nathan wrapped his arm around Haley. "He wasn't lying to you, he probably thought that, too".

"Then what changed"? She asked.

Nathan chuckled. "I don't think you want to know".

Haley glanced up at her husband and decided to take his word for it. "How do you know so much about this"?

"Because I was a teenaged boy—I know what he is going through, and as much as he hates it I even know what he is feeling and thinking most of the time".

Haley sighed. "So, what do I say to him—about sex"?

"Nothing".

"But, I—".

"Absolutely nothing," Nathan told her. "You don't say anything, you can tell him you want a better relationship or you want to bond more, and if you absolutely feel the need to bring it up keep it—as close to health class as you can. Ask him if he is being safe? But, don't address anything else—you may not like the fact that he is having sex but that is something you can't control, he will keep having sex. But, he doesn't want to talk about anything about it with you—that's probably why he picked a fight with you earlier. He will do anything to keep from having that conversation with you—and anytime you feel the need or the want to talk about it, think about Jimmie. Think about your dad asking you the questions or saying what is going through your mind".

Nathan looked at Haley who looked semi traumatized by the comment, as she should be.

"Now, whose tutoring who"? Nathan asked, grinning.

"And in seven years, we will be doing this exact same thing—in reverse".

Nathan nodded. "You can use my own words against me—but when it comes to Lydia I prefer to be kept in the dark if you don't mind," he said. "But, then—think about it—a few years later, we will be done. No more sex talks, no more hormonal teenagers—nothing, our kids will be grown and we will start having teenagers, it will be our time, we will get to be alone—as much as we want. It will be just us, you and I".

Haley watched as Nathan kissed the back of her hand, and she just knew she had to burst his bubble. "About that—on a scale of one to Brooke, how drunk are you"?

"After I saw a picture of my son naked, I'd say a solid three," he said shaking his head.

"Okay, then this is a perfect time—you're drunk so you can't freak out too bad, and it will slightly numb the reaction," she said.

Nathan turned to look directly at her. "What the hell are you talking about"? He asked.

"Okay, so remember me talking about wanting to be Brooke's surrogate"?

"I still don't think that's a good idea, Hales, it goes to show the big heart you have but—".

Haley clasped her hand over his mouth. "I went to the doctor, I made the decision to do it, and I was going to stand by that decision. You said you would support me if I chose to do it and I did" she said lowering her hand. "I went to the doctor just to make sure everything was okay—and I could do it, before I told Brooke, and got her hopes up".

"Okay"?

Haley half-smiled because it looked as though her husband was too frightened to say anything else—after her small attack.

"They told me I couldn't—I couldn't carry her baby".

Nathan leaned forward and rubbed her arm, in an attempt to comfort her. "Hales, I'm sure Brooke will under—".

"I can't carry her baby, because I'm already carrying my own," she said.

Haley watched Nathan's face change, though the more time passed the harder it was for her to read what he might be feeling. She watched, he didn't speak, he didn't move—he just sat there, staring at her.

"Okay, since you're already—like this, I thought I would go on and tell you, my doctor called before we got on the plane," she said as she toyed with a loose button on his shirt. "He wants me to come in when I get back, he thinks it might be multiples—as in more than one, the medicine I was on while we were trying is used to boost ovulation so it can help you release more than one leg—are you breathing"?

Haley waved her hand in front of Nathan's face, and she waited.

"Multiples" he repeated, slowly—after a very significant time had passed. "As in more than one"?

"As your former tutor I'm very disappointed in that question," she said.

Nathan stood up and leaned against the wall, taking a long deep breath. "So—like twins—right"?

"He just said my levels were extremely high, which indicated multiples," Haley told him, as she looked up at her husband. "Without a sonogram, there is no way to tell for certain—but yes, maybe—twins".

Haley nibbled on her bottom lip as she looked up at her husband, and he pulled her up on to her feet—pressing his lips to hers.

"I didn't expect you to take it so well," Haley said smiling.

"Oh, I'm not—I'm panicking," he told her, lifting her up. "But, ever since we got on this plane all I could think about was what a great opportunity to join the mile high club—but I didn't have any condoms, and I just found out that I don't need them".

Haley wanted to laugh, or cry—she hadn't decided, but she didn't get a chance to before Nathan carried her into the bathroom, his lips glued to any and every part of her body.

"Is this really your best idea"? Haley asked, smiling.

"You just told me that not only are we going to be waking up with one baby again for a year, potty training, the terrible two's—we are going through all of that again, but this time with two babies," he said and pulled his shirt off over his head.

"I said maybe," Haley said running her hand down his bare chest.

"But, either way—you're pregnant"? He asked.

Haley nodded.

"And if I'm not a member of the mile-high club, I sure as hell know you're not," Nathan said bending down kissing her neck, sliding his hand up the back of her shirt. "Would you prefer to watch me die in a puddle of my own sweat—or celebrate life"?

Haley couldn't help but laugh, her husband and his horrible way with words.

And the two spent the next thirty minutes, joining the mile-high club.

* * *

_**A/N I hope you enjoyed this! **_

**_I had some difficulty writing the really long Naley scene/part (not sure what you call it when its writing) because I feel like we have already visited that conversation, but it needed to be visited again, since she found out Jamie was no longer a virgin. _**

**_I may have Reused some lines, but they were things that needed to be said again. As I wrote it, I thought 'well, this really is a double standard' and I even juggled with posting it at all because of the way I was feeling about it. But, The more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't a double standard, & more based off the type of relationship you have with your parent. _**

**_In the series, Haley was always the intelligent one. She always knew how to handle each situation, that's why with her being a parent to a teenaged boy I really enjoy making her completely clueless like most parents or at some point, and having Nathan show her the ropes, not Because he knows everything about teenage boys but he does have a bigger clue because he wants one. So, he relates more. I really enjoy seeing her in a different light. She was always one of my favorite characters, but to see her need the tutoring it's fun for someone who love the show, and who is a writer that likes to explore different areas._**

**_because he knows everything about teenage boys but he does have a bigger clue because he wants one. So, he relates more. I really enjoy seeing her in a different light. She was always one of my favorite characters, but to see her need the tutoring it's fun for someone who love the show, and who is a writer that likes to explore different areas._**

**_A Naley baby? or Babies?! Whose excited?! _**

**_I did not include the teenagers, except a little in the start, I really just wanted a chapter that focused on the "adults" and the fun. Jamie was mentioned, but he is a key part in Naley's story, but everyone always seems so invested in the teenagers so I hope you didn't miss them too much._**

**_Brucas is still moving forward, but I really didn't want them to "hook-up" for the first time in 16 or 17 years, on a plane. It's something appropriate when you have been married for as long as Nathan and Haley have, but when you have spent so much time apart you need time to fall back together._**

**_Not to mention Brooke was a little drunk. Lol. _**

**_As you can tell she is still having trouble letting go of Julian, but her heart does pull for Lucas. There are times she hates it, and times she loves it. It's a slow story._**

**_I feel like a lot of the other characters don't really get mentioned as much as I would like them to, so I try to include them as much as I could in this. Especially, having Jake and Lucas joking around that was a very important part of the story. To show that there are no hard feelings, with the past relationship he has Peyton._**

**_Thank you to everyone who suggested this chapter, & who continues to read my story! You all mean so much! _**

**_I do have certain plans for my story, that I don't want to navigate away from, but if anyone has anything certain they would like to see happen leave a review, I always try to please my readers. Because, my story wouldn't have lasted this long if no one read it. _**

**_XOXO until next time! _**


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hope You have enjoyed the past few chapters, & The quick updates.**_

_**This is a relatively small chapter, it's really just a filler. **_

_**Happy Reading! **_

* * *

Jamie sat up off the bed he had been stretched out across, and the yawn that sat at the corner of his mouth won the battle. When he stood up, he reached his hands above his body—extended his arms above his body.

He looked and saw his two best friends, Andre asleep across the couch—and Chuck who was lying in an awkward position on the small chair in the corner.

Jamie couldn't help himself, he swung his foot back and kicked Chuck's watching his best friend lose his balance and fall into the floor. The noise woke Andre who shot immediately.

Chuck looked up at Jamie, who was grinning "ass" he said pushing himself up to a standing position.

"We just landed," Jamie said.

The three walked to the cabin door, and Jamie pressed the button that opened them, revealing the next room. But, if he had it his way—he would have never opened the door, once he saw what was on the other side.

"What in the hell"? Andre asked, peaking out.

Jamie looked from one end to the other, bottles—mostly liquor, empty glasses, and drunken—passed out adults.

"Is this—normal"? Andre asked.

"Please," Chuck said. "It looks like my mom's side when we have a family reunion".

Jamie looked at Andre "did that answer your question"?

"Yeah," he said. "Not normal".

Chuck tilted his head. "Do we wake them"?

Jamie shrugged. "You go ahead, and give that a try," he said.

The three stood there, for just a moment too long—before Jamie finally walked towards the opposite end of the plane. He stepped over feet and bottles until he found himself at the exit—where he saw the captain, casually thanked him and asked him to give his family some extra time "to gather their things".

"Open your bag" Jamie whispered to Andre as he watched the captain walk away from the plane.

Andre, looked confused but did as he was told, then watched as Jamie proceeded to shove bottles into the bottom, filled with liquor no doubt. Then Quinton's baby brother shut his bag, without asking further questions.

"If they can party so can we," Jamie said with a smile.

"So, are we just not going to wake them"? Andre asked. "I mean we don't exactly know where to go—".

"Do they look like they are going to be making any responsible judgment calls, my mom would but—where the hell are my parents"? Jamie asked as he observed the group once more. "Ma" Jamie yelled. "Dad"?

No one in the group budged, but he still didn't see his parents—until he did. The two came stumbling from around the corner—and the sight made Jamie nausea, more than nauseous—he was sure he was going to throw up.

Jamie's parents were both flushed, and breathing heavy—Nathan more than his wife, their clothes wrinkled, and as if they could act innocent Haley's shirt was on backward—and inside out.

"Is—erm, is everything okay"? Haley asked, in an attempt to be casual—as she smoothed out her shirt. "We landed—your dad was just helping me—erm, we were just, he was helping me—".

"Locate your cervix"? Jamie asked, his face twisted in disgust. "I'm going to be sick".

Nathan rolled his eyes. "How exactly do you think you got here"?

"A stork," Jamie said—way to quickly. "And hopefully not in the bathroom of some plane—I'm seriously going to throw up".

"You're being dramatic," Nathan said. "I have walked in on my mom a thousand different times".

"So, you're okay with being on the same level as nanny Deb"? Jamie asked, half smiling.

Nathan thought about it and realized that his foot was no longer attached to his ankle—but in his mouth.

"Do you two care to wake up the rest of the motley crew"? Jamie asked. "I'll go get us a cab—or a van, I don't know".

Haley watched as Jamie began down the stairs attached to the plane—and she couldn't help but think, there is no time like the present. "I'm pregnant" she called out to her son. "It might be twins".

Nathan was already stressed by the fact, but he couldn't help but laugh at Jamie—who threw his head back and made a noise that fell somewhere between a whine and a grumble.

"I think he was more excited about Lydia," Nathan told his wife rubbing her back.

Haley turned around and wrapped her arms around her husband. "We just traumatized our teenager".

Nathan shrugged. "He will get over it".

Haley nodded, but then said. "Not if you don't zip your pants".

* * *

"So, he didn't freak out"? Brooke asked before she drank the remainder of the water at the bottom of her bottle—her sixth bottle. "You said: I'm pregnant and it might be twins, and then he wanted to have sex"?

Haley nodded. "But, we did get caught by Jamie, so there's that".

"When you say caught—"?

"Oh, no not like that" Haley said as she pressed the elevator button, and the two began to wait. "We were done, we come out of the bathroom and there he was".

"Maybe he thought that—".

"No, he knew," Haley said folding her arms. "And he made it clear that he knew, but I oddly found it satisfying".

Brooke turned her head and looked at Haley, cocking her head to the side. "You're really going to need to explain that one to me".

Haley chuckled as the elevator doors opened and the two stepped inside. "Well, as badly as I have hated the fact that he is growing up—finding out he has had sex really took the cake," she said pressing the button with a one on it, watching as it lit up and the doors slowly closed. "I can't explain how it made me feel, it just bothered me—I was actually upset with Madison. I had no reason to be, I just was. But, watching him stand there—squirming, and freaking out because his parents still have sex, it kind of made up for it".

Brooke shook her head and snickered. "Because you were freaking out over him having sex, and now he is freaking out over you"?

Haley nodded. "If you had seen his face, it was like the face you make every time you watch Jeepers Creepers—the part where he eats—".

"Oh, the tongue" Brooke said scrunching her face up, gagging at the mere thought, and shaking her body at the horrible recollection. "I'm still a little tipsy, do you want me to throw up on you because I assure you—I have it in me".

"The only thing you have in you is about six gallons of water at this point," Haley told her.

The elevator doors opened and the two walked out into the hotel's lobby.

"Hydration is the key to sobering up," she said.

Haley laughed. "Brooke, I could hit you and water would start falling out of you like a water faucet".

"And if you weren't carrying my two godchildren, I'd hit you back," she said smiling. "Wait—I am godmother right"?

Haley laughed. "Is that what you're worried about, that if I did you won't get all three or four of my children"?

"Hmph," Brooke said. "Never mind—give it to Peyton this time".

"Just for that you're still godmother," Haley told her smiling. "Speaking of Peyton have you—".

"Nope" Brooke said. "And it's only got worse, we kissed again—and again, and about had drunken plane sex".

"Wait—what"?

"And the worst part, Lucas was the one who stopped it not me," Brooke told her.

Haley was confused but trying to catch up. "So, does that mean you two are together or—".

"I have no idea, every time I kiss him—I feel like I'm a seventeen-year-old girl again," Brooke said. "I go weak in the knees and my stomach gets butterflies, I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest".

Haley smiled. "I'm sensing a but".

"But, then he stops and I feel like the world just starts crashing down around me. I remember being a seventeen year old and feeling this way about him, about Lucas. I remember it, and then I remember my heartbreaking—because of him" Brooke said. "My heartbeat for him, he turned my world—and then he stopped it. Completely. It took a man, a brave and a patient man to break down those walls that Lucas helped me build".

Haley assumed she knew what was coming next. "And then you think of Julian"? She asked.

Brooke softly replied. "Yes, there was this fight I had with Julian—at the beginning of our relationship and it was over Lucas—he was the last man I loved before Julian. I don't want to feel like my marriage was just a stepping stone or an obstacle I was meant to face to find my way back to Lucas".

"Brooke, you had this beautiful—great love story with Julian. It wasn't another stepping stone or an obstacle, it was true and raw love".

"But"? Brooke asked—looking at Haley out of the corner of her eye.

Haley stopped, and she let out a deep breath. "But, sometimes if you're really lucky you don't just get one great love, one soulmate—sometimes you get to experience love more than once. You get to fall in love more than once, some people are born with so much love in their heart that they need more than one love. Julian was not a stepping stone, he was not an obstacle—he was your husband, but now his not. And I think you're done grieving, I think you're using Julian as an excuse because you're scared to move forward with Lucas".

Brooke looked at her best friend, and she hated it—but the words she said struck a nerve deep in her heart.

Was she scared? Of Lucas? Or her feelings for him?

"Peyton is the one who told you to go for it, so go for it," Haley told her. "We are going to be here for a day or two, so take advantage of that. You don't have to tell her right away, I know you feel like you do—and I am all for being honest, but maybe you should see if you and Lucas can even be together—without everyone knowing. Sneak off, go on a date—the twins and Sawyer aren't here, if that's what is holding you back is that you're scared then take the jump, but take it quietly".

Brooke smiled. "And you can't figure out your teenager problems without your husband"?

"Apparently I can only solve problems that aren't mine—and don't deal with teenagers," Haley said, half laughing. "Speaking of teenager's what are you doing to say to Madison"?

Brooke shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I will know when I see her".

Haley half-smiled. "Well, that time has come—their here".

Brooke turned to see Lily, Lucy, and Madison walking into the hotel's large lobby, each looking more exhausted than the next, and in desperate need of a shower.

"Well, well—you finally made it," Haley said, being the first one to speak.

The three looked confused as they saw Haley and Brooke standing there, in front of them, over twenty hours away from home.

"What—how"? Lily asked confused.

Madison awkwardly folded her arms. "Jamie sent us a text and said he got us a hotel room, here," she said. "He didn't mention—".

"That the whole family is here"? Haley asked. "Oh, that son of mine is just full of surprises today—apparently he also owns a private jet. It came quite handy when we needed to make it across the country in less than half the time it took the three of you".

Lucy stood in between her two friends, looking from one to the other. "I'm new to all this—do all teenagers own private jets"? She asked.

"No," Lily said. "Just pretty rich boys".

"If it makes you feel any better—I didn't give it to him," she said. "But, your dad didn't mind it".

Lucy's mouth dropped. "My dad—is here"?

Haley nodded. "I think he wants to talk to you—not sure what about".

Haley picked up the bag that Lily had dropped and began walking back towards the elevator with Lily and Lucy in tow.

Brooke however, didn't move.

And neither did Madison.

"You're mad," Madison said.

It wasn't a question, it was a fact. Or a really good guess. And she wasn't wrong. But, she wasn't right either.

Brooke bit the bottom of her lip as she walked over to Madison, running her hands down each one of her foster daughter's French braid—straightening them out over her shoulders. "For now—we won't talk about if I'm mad or not," she said. "We can discuss that when we get back home, but for now just know that I'm here for you. I don't think traveling across the country by yourself—or even with two other girls was smart or safe, but I fully understand why you did it".

"You're not going to make me go back home"?

Brooke nodded. "Of course I am, but not until you speak to this woman. Not until you have a chance to know who your parents are".

Madison wrapped her arms around Brooke, as tightly as she could—without strangling her. She felt Brooke's hand softly on the back of her head, she felt her comforting her, knowing it was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Alright," Brooke said leaning away. "Let's go".

And the two caught up with the Haley, Lucy, and Lily who stood by the elevator waiting.

"When you say everyone came—"? Lucy began.

"Oh, your dad's here, too," Haley told her.

* * *

Pizza.

Pizza.

And more Pizza filled the tables, the counters—and any other vacant spots throughout the large hotel suite. The boxes each held something specific in it, for the meat lovers, the cheese lovers, the veggie lovers and everything in between.

A few beers had been handed around, passing the teenagers all together—not that they expected any different.

One could hope, but that was about all they could do.

"You three can now cross Texas off of your bucket list," Nathan told his son, as he sipped on the beer in his hands.

Jamie looked up at Nathan and shook his head. "We don't have a bucket list, and if we did—I don't think visiting Texas would be on it".

Lucas looked up. "You don't have a bucket list"? He asked. "Of things you'd like to do—places you'd like to see".

Jamie didn't verbally answer him, but he shook his head as he stuffed over half of a of a slice of pizza into his mouth.

"Thank God Madison isn't in here," Peyton said folding her arms looking at Jamie. "She might not be able to resist you".

Jamie chuckled, as he attempted to chew the large amount in his mouth.

Lucas ignored his ex-wife's comment and continued to focus on his nephew. "You don't have any certain places you would like to go"? He asked. "Things you'd like to see? When I was your age—".

"You had to get up to change the channel"? Jamie asked with a grin.

Lucas grabbed the nearest object he could find, not paying any attention to what it was, lifted it and tossed it as nephew. Jamie ducked out of the way just in time, and it didn't wipe the smile off of his face.

"Back in my dad we had to walk ten miles to school with no shoes on in the snow," Jamie said, in a rough grumbling voice, teasing his uncle.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "That sounds more like Deb's day".

"I divorced a Scott—and somehow I'm still roped into the stupidity," Deb said shaking her head.

Mouth sat down next to Lucas and asked "you never thought about wanting to visit Texas—there are so many great things to see here" he said.

"Like, what"?

"Dallas"? Mouth said. "Houston—".

"I always wanted to go to San Antonio" they all heard and turned to see Madison had been the one who said it.

Jamie had stopped eating as he looked up at Madison, who stood with her hands stuffed into the back of her jeans—looking at him, nervously. Lily and Lucy were behind her, as Haley and Brooke walked in with the bags.

The silence took over the room, for a lot longer than anyone could have anticipated but there was no shying away from it either.

Everyone could feel the tension, between the two fathers and their daughters—an upset brother, but the real strain in the room came from a couple. A teenaged couple, who had yet to peel their eyes away from each other.

"Look who we found in the lobby," Brooke said planting her hands on Madison's shoulders. "What a coincidence—isn't it"?

"Yeah" Lucas scoffed. "Big one".

Lily, unlike Madison, didn't look nervous—not in the least. She folded her arms and looked at her brother. "If you have something to say just say it or make me a plate of pizza".

"Lily do you have any idea how dangerous this could have been"? Lucas asked, standing up looking at her.

Lily shook her head. "It's no more dangerous than the number of sexual partners you had in high school, so don't give me that".

"Excuse me"?

"Don't give me that, I have read your book about a dozen times, there is such a thing as an STD—".

"Oh, here we go," Lucas said tapping Keith on the shoulder. "This is what she does when she gets in trouble, she will find any argument—and I do mean any, to reverse it so whatever you did is just as bad as what she did. But, don't fall for it—mom never did".

"Mom was smarter than your brother O mine," Lily said strutting across the room.

"Well, I'm not falling for it either".

"Too bad you're not my dad—he is," Lily said smiling. "You can't tell me what to do".

"Legally, I'm still your guardian—and until the doctor has cleared that will remain," Lucas told her. "You just met your dad, and the first thing you do is put him through this? Is that what you wanted? To scare him? Did you want him to land back in the hospital, which is a possibility, in case you didn't know? He had brain surgery less than eight weeks ago, he could have had a heart attack of a stroke, how would you have felt? On his post-surgery care, one of the first things it said was no stress, this has stress written across it in big bold letters—capitalized".

"Luke" Brooke said gaining his attention. "I think she gets it".

Lucas looked at Brooke and took a step back—sitting in his chair. He knew she was right, and maybe his outburst was a little uncalled for.

No, it was completely called for, but maybe this wasn't the time or the place, in front of Lily's friends and her boyfriend.

Ah, to hell with it.

"You're grounded, double what you already had," Lucas told her. "Triple, with a few minor adjustments. For the fight you could still play basketball, you can't for a month and a half now, no dates—no nights out. You can still go to work through".

"Gee, thanks," Lily said sarcastically as she looked at her brother.

"If you'd like we can vote on it—since mom legally left you to Peyton and myself, we can vote on it with Keith" Lucas suggested. "I think that's fair—don't worry though you can get a vote as well. All in favor of my disciplinary action"?

Lily watched as Lucas raised his hand—followed by Peyton and Keith raising theirs as well. The teenager wanted to scream, but there was a part of her—a very small part that was the loudest over all her thoughts.

She looked at her dad, and the words her brother said echoed in her mind.

Lily hates it when he was right, but he was in fact right. She knew her father worried, that's why he was here, she knew she had caused him stress. She couldn't think about anything except what could have happened if she had put too much stress on him.

She hadn't, but she could have.

Lily spent weeks, months worrying about her father, which seemed unreal itself, but she couldn't believe that she was the one that could have jeopardized his health.

"You girls sit down, eat," Deb said, jerking Lily out of her own head. "All the restaurants were closed when we got here, so Pizza will have to do".

"Thanks," Lily said as Deb led her into a seat.

Deb smiled. "It's your favorite—just eat, we can worry about everything else later," she said looking at the angry fathers and brothers, former sister-in-law, and anyone else that might have anything to say about it. "It's almost one in the morning, we need to eat and go to sleep, all of us are exhausted".

"Sleep sounds great," Jamie said as he walked across the room, tossing what was left in his hand into the trash. "I had to call a few different places," he said, looking at Madison. "But, I found you a vegan pizza—it's the only one that hasn't been touched".

Maddie half-smiled when he looked at her but, he avoided any type of eye contact—and he wasn't smiling.

"I'm going on to my room," Jamie said as he walked towards the door.

Madison was taken by surprise when he still kissed her as he went to leave, but even in the second his lips were pressed to hers, she could feel the hostile—the anger.

"And you were worried about him being mad," Lily told Madison.

"He is," she said without looking up.

"He found you your social pizza, and he kissed you—he couldn't be," Lily said.

Madison looked up, knowing it was going to take more than just her word at this point. So, she looked to Chuck and Andre, knowing the answer before she asked: "Is he mad"?

Andre nodded. Slowly. "He is—a little upset," he said, trying to somewhat soften the blow.

Unfortunately, Chuck wasn't the same. "He is pissed off," He said. "He barely spoke the whole plane ride and when he did—it wasn't the most pleasant conversation I have ever had with him, let's just leave it there".

Madison looked at Chuck, and for a second she thought about it. Everyone was here, besides Jamie, and everyone was listening, so she reconsidered at first. But, if anyone was going to be upfront and honest with her, it would be Jamie's pain in the ass best friend.

"What—what all did he say"? Madison finally asked.

Chuck shook his head. "Nope," he said. "I'm not getting in the middle of that, that is your two's problem, not mine," he said. "We made rules after you two had your first fight, and I'm not breaking them. It puts me or Andre in a really bad situation, we are friends with both of you—and don't think about asking him because he is the soft one of the group".

"Don't be an ass?" Lily told her boyfriend.

"He isn't," Madison told her. "Jamie and I, we made the rules".

Lucy had to ask "what rules"?

"When you have a group of friends as close as the four of us have always been, and two of those friends start dating it can complicate things," Andre told her. "No middle man stuff is the main one though if Jamie and Madison have a fight that's their relationship problem, not a whole group problem, which means if Jamie tells Chuck something or Madison tells me something, we don't go and tell the other".

"Exactly," Chuck said. "So, if you want to know what's on inside pretty boy's mind—go ask him, I don't want any part of it".

* * *

"It's weird right"?

Brooke, who stood in the kitchen with her palms pressed tightly against the counter, turned to find Peyton opening a water bottle, taking a long sip.

If Brooke was being honest she wasn't paying any attention, to anything so if she had been talking before she missed it, or she was just perplexed which was not too far from her usual state of mind.

Brooke turned back around, looking back into the large group of people she chooses to call family and asked: "what's weird"?

"It seems like just yesterday that was us," Peyton said walking up next to Brooke. "Now, we are the ones watching their own little teenaged drama play out".

"Yeah, I guess," Brooke told her, still not fully in her own head as she spoke.

"I wonder if this is how Karen felt"? Peyton asked, smiling. "Or Dad? Hell, even Dan—they watched us run around like the sky is falling every time we got into a little argument—everything always seemed like the end of the world to us".

"I don't know—maybe".

Peyton looked at her best friend, and she followed her eyesight—expecting to find her locked on Lucas. But, that wasn't the case—she wasn't looking at anything in particular. She was just standing there, watching as everyone ate and talked and continued doing whatever it was they were doing or had been doing.

"I'm thinking about having sex with Jake," Peyton said, quietly.

That worked, Brooke looked up and over at Peyton her mouth hanging open. But, not because she was shocked that was what Peyton told her.

"You two haven't had sex yet"? Brooke asked, an eyebrow arched. "You two have been seeing each other for two or three months".

"I'm not going to just jump into bed with him," Peyton said, defending herself.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You already have, literally".

"Yeah, another lifetime ago—I am not exactly seventeen anymore—if you roll your eyes any harder you're going to give yourself an aneurism".

"Well, you sound ridiculous. You're hot, you have nothing to worry about".

"I have had a baby, a c-section, I have years on this body—".

"Jake adores you," Brooke said. "And a lot of us would kill for your body, to look like we did when we were seventeen. Not everyone is as lucky as you are Peyton, the only thing that isn't the same is the bags under your eyes and if you used my recommendation I could shave another seven years off, but you don't. Stop complaining about your body when you look better than the rest of us".

Peyton watched as Brooke walked away, she didn't storm away or run away, no one even noticed how upset she was as she made her way across the room. No one but Peyton and that was enough.

* * *

_**A/N hope you enjoyed! **_

_**Like I said, small Chapter (at least based off the top of chapters I normally write). I wanted to just open up a certain way (which will happen in the next chapter) but then I would have to completely skipped over a big part... the girls returning. So, this chapter serves as a filler, a bridge to the next one. **_

_**It pretty much says this is a problem we have here, but we are going to deal with it when we return home. **_

_**I want to thank everyone for their kind reviews, and being to interactive with this story. It means a lot!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**_Welcome back, to either my longest chapter or my second longest... I think I wrote one 15,000+ before, but I can't remember lol!_**

**_This is actually only half of the actual chapter I have written (the second portion is being currently edited)._**

**_Disclaimer: If you don't like sexual moments (but still keeping it PG-13) or moments of discussing race then don't proceed, as this chapter deals with both!_**

**_Happy reading!_**

* * *

_**Story of My Life: One Direction **  
Written in these walls are the stories that I can't explain_

_I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days_

_She told me in the morning_  
_She don't feel the same about us in her bones_  
_It seems to me that when I die_  
_These words will be written on my stone_

_And I'll be gone, gone tonight_  
_The ground beneath my feet is open wide_  
_The way that I been holdin' on too tight_  
_With nothing in between_

* * *

_He wasn't dressed like Elvis, so that was a plus._

_The preacher, that's who wasn't dressed like Elvis, the man who stood with a bible in his hand standing between—Jamie and Madison. And he wasn't dressed like Elvis, that was the bright side Haley was finding in all of this._

_"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this night to join together, James and Madeline"._

_Haley clutched her husband's hand, her fingernails digging into the back of his hand, which she became aware of when she heard him hiss as quietly as he could._

_"Sorry" Haley whispered._

_Nathan pressed his lips tightly together as she pulled her fingers out of his skin, and he softly rubbed her hand._

_"If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace"._

_Haley could fill her tongue dancing in the back of her throat, dying for her mouth to open, but found herself paralyzed—in fear, maybe? Was it her nerves that shut her up?_

_But, just as her lips finally parted she looked up and saw a pair of blue eyes looking at her's—Jamie's. And she despite all her efforts she couldn't speak, she could hear her mother's voice—she could hear Lydia James who made this decision so many years ago, echoing through her veins._

_"Then let us proceed," the preacher said._

_Jamie and Madison were getting married, but wait, you might have missed something._

_Maybe we should start from the beginning..._

* * *

**4 Am**

Jamie was sleeping, or he was trying to, but he could feel himself beginning to stir. The teenager fought it as hard and as long as he could, there was no reason he should be awake, or why his body was even attempting to rise, with this much exhaustion flowing through his veins.

He opened his eyes, and for a passing second, he wasn't sure what room he was in or why, it was dark but the bright streetlights shining in revealed the abstract of the room he was in, which was not his.

Jamie's bed was far more comfortable and far bigger—he was used to the open window breeze coming from up above his head on the left, the window was open on his right side, and there was no breeze. He shifted his head in the direction and the memory beat the exhaustion as he realized where he was.

Freaking Texas.

For a second Jamie thought it was mid-morning, at least. The bright lights of the city were very convincing, especially when you come from a small town with four street lamps, but once he looked past the raging lights he saw the sky, which was dark.

Jamie didn't have to turn his head to glance at the alarm clock that sat on one of his side tables, flashing four twenty-seven. He looked at the clock, waiting for his eyes to slowly adjust from the lighting outside his window, and he couldn't help but wonder how long that clock had been sitting in that same spot. He presumed it had been there long before he was born.

A five-star hotel couldn't afford to replace an alarm clock ever five years? Or was it ten? Two? Did it have an expired by, or change out date? Was like it a toothbrush or more like a car battery?

Jamie glanced at the alarm clock on the side of his bed, that he was sure had been sitting in the same spot since long before he was born. He figured a five-star hotel could afford to replace the clocks every five years—or was it ten? Two? Did it have an expired by, or change out date? Was it like a toothbrush—or a car battery?

It didn't really fit in with the chic room—dear God he had been spending too much time with Brooke.

He couldn't decide which was worse that these were his thoughts this early morning, or that he was actually awake.

Why was he awake? He was so tired, exhausted, but yet he was awake.

Knock, knock, knock.

Oh, yeah. That was it. A noise woke him. Well, that made more sense.

Someone was knocking at his door, at four in the morning—that just begged the question, who in the hell was waking him up at four in the morning?

Jamie kicked them cover's off of the one side of his body they covered and swung his legs over the side of the bed, but he didn't get up right away. He sat there, waiting for some sort of energy to return to his body, but found it never did.

Knock, knock, knock.

The noise made against the door was light, and calm, but persistent. Jamie smiled because he knew who it was that was on the other side of the door.

He stood up and walked to the door, but he paused for a second "Sasha, is that you"?

"You're not funny".

Jamie pulled the door open and saw Madison standing on the other side. She had a pair of hot pink shorts on that he almost missed over the shirt of his she was wearing that nearly swallowed her whole, but he had to admit was so sexy.

"Was you asleep"? She asked looking at him, her arms crossed over her body, and biting down on her lip.

It was a stupid question, she knew that, but for some reason, it was the first thing to fall from her lips.

"No, I just got back from a 5K marathon," Jamie said crossing his arms as he leaned against the door.

Even the sexiest girl in the world wasn't immune to Jamie's sarcasm.

"If you want to go back to sleep I can leave," Madison said and began to back away.

Jamie reached out, and grabbed her hand, pulling her. Act right away. He didn't say anything as he led her into the darkroom, shutting the door behind them.

Madison felt him let go of her hand, and she let out a small whimper—unwillingly, as she lost physical contact with him, even the feel of his hand in hers, made everything seem as though the sky wasn't falling.

The light flipped on and when she looked up Jamie was standing by his bed, next to the lamp, and she watched as he slowly sat down on the edge of his bed.

Madison hesitated, at first, not entirely sure what to do, but eventually, she swallowed and walked across the room, in front of his bed. She into all went to sit down next to him, but Jamie blocked her from doing six taking her wrist once again, pulling her over to him.

She found herself sitting on top of Jamie, straddling him down on the bed, and watched as he laid back, tucking his hands behind his head, his eyes only half-open.

Madison asked, "Is this what I have to look forward to"? She half-smiled. "I'm going to be the one who has to make the coffee every morning when we live together"?

Jamie nodded. "In nothing but you're underwear".

Madison smiled, she didn't have a choice. It was such a teenaged boy response, not at all something she thought she would ever hear him say.

"You knew I wasn't a morning person when you fell in love with me," Jamie said, tucking his hand up that back of his shirt, that she was wearing, grazing the small of her back with his thumb.

Madison shuddered at the contact, the skin on skin, it sent a tremor down her spine and suddenly she wasn't thinking about today—later. She was thinking about her half-naked boyfriend, and all the ways he could make her forget about everything in the world.

She looked down, and there Jamie lay, shirtless of course because—why not? He was wearing nothing but the same pair of oversized shorts he wore almost every time he went to the river court, she wanted to roll her eyes, someone with as much money as him and he wore the same thing over and over, typical. But, they were his favorite pair.

They hung just below his waistline, low enough so that she could see the tattoo on his hip, but not so low she could see the entire drawing.

"On a scale of one to ten" Madison began, as she traced the outline of the Rose, she could see, that was embedded in his skin with her finger, she supposed to keep from looking at him. "How mad are you".

"What's one and what's ten" she heard Jamie's voice but still didn't look up at him.

"One is a little, and ten is you never want to see me again".

Jamie reached out and took Madison's hand, effectively stopping her from whatever the hell it was she was doing, except that he did know. It's this little tic she did when she got nervous, or scared. She felt the need to keep her hands moving and avoided any and all eye contact with anyone.

Except he wasn't just anyone, and he was the only one here with her.

Jamie sat up, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist—holding her as close as he could, so she would have no choice but to look at him. "There is nothing you could do that would ever, and I mean ever, make me not want to see you again," he said brushing a loose strand of hair away from her eyes. "I love you too damn much".

"Yeah"?

"Yeah—Maddie, I'm allowed to worry, and be upset that you didn't tell me," Jamie said. "But, that doesn't change the way I feel about you. I'm not going to lie to you—I'm pissed. But, I think you're nervous enough without me giving you some big lecture or yelling at you, that's now what you need right now".

"Then what do I need"?

"Me".

Jamie said it matter-O-factly and hasn't wrong. That's why she was here, they both knew it. She smiled at him because even when he was upset or mad, he still found a way to make her smile, to put her needs before anything he was feeling.

"And a shower wouldn't hurt".

And then there was that.

Madison shoved her boyfriend back on to the bed and watched as he rolled, laughing. When he didn't stop she chose that hitting him in the ribs was more than well deserved.

"You're still not funny".

Jamie stopped laughing and ran his hands up under the shirt she was wearing, and on to her bare hips. "I didn't say you would be alone," he told her.

"I didn't know Chuck was awake, which room is he in"?

Jamie was sure Chuck was in the next room, and he was even more sure that the sound of Madison squealing woke him when he flipped the two, her landing against the soft bed.

Madison felt as Jamie pressed his hard body against hers. The breath in her lungs was trapped in her throat, the closer his lips got to hers—until he kissed her lightly.

Then he kissed the corner of her mouth, and his lips trailed down the side of her neck. "You really think there is something, anything that Chuck can do to you, that I can't"? He whispered in her ear.

Madison looked up, into Jamie's eyes, and she smiled.

"If you'd like to give it a shot," he said, kissing her neck, again and again. "Be my guest, I'm sure he could even make your toes curl?" he told Madison sitting up balancing himself on his knees. "But, we both know—I can make your whole body shake".

Madison could hear the shake in her breath as she watched Jamie reach beneath her and pull her shorts off, throwing them to the side. "Which do you prefer"?

"You're an ass".

Madison said it, and she meant it, but she couldn't think of anything else, at least right now. And he was right, for the record.

Some call it sex, some call it making love, and some refer to the act in the most vulgar way you can think of, but whatever you call it, that's what they did. And continued to do, until they both ran out of energy to move.

Not long after, Madison was lying in her boyfriend's arms, tracing her finger along his chest—smiling, because she couldn't stop. She wasn't sure he was even awake until she felt him running his fingers through his hair when she looked up—she saw the sun had begun to rise over the city outside the hotel.

"I'm nervous," Madison said, wrapping her arm tightly around his waist.

"I know baby, but these people aren't your parents" she heard his voice. "Be nervous when you meet them".

"They might be, I mean they could be, what if Lauren was mistaken"?

"And what if she wasn't"? Jamie asked. "Is that what you're nervous about—meeting them? Or that they might be your parents—or are you nervous that they might not be"?

Madison looked up at him, to find he was already looking down at her. There were advantages and disadvantages to having a boyfriend who knew you so well, she couldn't decide which this was.

"What if I go in there and they tell me that they aren't my parents"? Madison asked. "What if I go in and there I find out they are dead? Or worse? And I never got to know them—or they don't know. And I will never know".

"And that might be the case, they might be dead, or they might know. But, you wanted answers" Jamie told her. "You can't get scared just because they might not be the answers you expected. I don't want you to go in there and have high expectations that they will even tell you. Or that they will even know about your biological parents, you don't even know how you came into their possession".

"Wow," Madison said. "You make me sound like a beat-up old 1987 chevy caprice".

Jamie laughed, but just for a second. "Maddie, these people are on death row—you don't know who they are or what they are capable of doing," he said. "I don't want you to go in there with high hopes".

"I would have thought that you, of all people, would have wanted me to find out—who I am," Maddie said. "We have talked about having kids one day. We can answer any and every question about your side of the family, but not mine. I deserve to know and I deserve to be able to tell our children if they are either half Latino or if they are half Spaniard's, I want to look at them and be able to say you're from a Spanish decent—our family comes from Spain or you're from Mexican descent, our family comes from Mexico. I know you're upset, but I thought you would be on my side about this, at least".

"I think you're taking this the wrong way," Jamie told her, stroking his index finger down her bareback. "I am on your side, always, I want you to know everything about yourself there is to know, I just don't want to see you get hurt—that's why I don't want you to go in with high hopes. But, I'm on your side regardless—no matter".

Madison reached up and cupped the side of Jamie's face "I didn't think it was possible to love you more than I already do, but somehow you always find a way to make me love you more".

"I plan to do that until my last breath".

"I'm going to hold you to that".

* * *

**6:47 am**

Haley reached her hand out, it was a habit she had fallen into over the years, but when she felt nothing—emptiness, she opened her eyes. The other half of the bed she was curled up in was vacant, nothing but a hollow hole existed where Nathan had laid his head just hours before.

She sat up in the bed, looking around the unfamiliar room—glancing into the open bathroom, and found her husband nowhere in sight.

"Nathan"?

Haley listened, but didn't hear her husband's response, she didn't hear anything but the traffic from the streets. She got up from the bed and made her way over to the window, pulling it closed, trying to remember why it was closed in the first place.

She knew she hadn't closed it. She also couldn't think of a reason Nathan would have opened it, it was Texas—perhaps the maid had left it open when she cleaned the room the day before.

Haley looked around the dimly lit room, and the first thing she noticed was the duffel bag with Nathan's things in it open—and his shoes were missing.

Where on earth had he gone?

They weren't home, he knew very little about where they were and he disappeared so early in the morning—and just like that she knew where he was.

Haley slipped her own shoes on and pulled Nathan's hoodie over her head before finding her way out the room, and through the hotel. After ten minutes or more of wandering around, she found her husband, within the walls of the basketball court located inside the hotel.

Of course, Jamie picked a hotel with a basketball court, she should have known.

She watched as her husband made basket after basket, not missing a shot.

Nathan didn't notice her, not at first, but when he did he half smiled—but his unsteady breath effecting it a little.

"What are you doing down here"? Nathan asked holding the ball steady in his hand.

Haley walked towards him, with her arms crossed. "I believe I could ask you the same thing," she said.

Nathan looked down at his wife and shrugged. "I couldn't sleep—didn't want to wake you".

"Really? Because I can't sleep when my husband is not in the bed" Haley said taking the ball from him.

"Hales—".

"Nathan, what's wrong"? She asked. "I know you, and I know something is wrong—so, just tell me".

Nathan ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, thinking of pretty much any way to avoid the conversation, all together.

"Is this about the babies"?

Haley asked a question, and they both knew the answer to it, they both knew what was wrong and what the cause of his insomnia was.

"If I say yes, does that make me a bad dad"?

"If it does then I am right there with you," Haley told him. "Two babies, it's a big responsibility, a big change to our family".

Haley watched as Nathan made his way over to the bleachers, sitting down, taking a large and long drink of the blue sports themed drink he had waiting for him. "Do you realize these will be our only kids that are close together in age—it can't be healthy to keep spacing them out like this".

"That's why you didn't want any more kids, isn't it"?

"Hales, we had one moving out in two years, and now we are starting all over," Nathan said. "We will never be done if we birth another before every graduation".

"You're upset".

"I'm not—I promise, I would never be upset over you being pregnant".

"Ahem, Jamie," Haley said doing her best fake cough as she spoke.

"Subtle," Nathan said looking up at his wife.

Haley sat the ball down, smiling, as she walked over and joined her husband on the husband on the bleachers, sitting to face him.

"That was different, that was—I was a kid, I was young," Nathan told her. "I was—I don't even know, it took me a little bit to wrap my head around it".

"Just like it's going to take you time to wrap your head around this" Haley said rubbing his bare arm. "This is just like with Jamie—".

"No, no it's not," Nathan told her. "We have been married a year when you got pregnant with Jamie, now we have been married for almost two decades, as we are young. We are still young. We would have been in our early forties when Lydia graduated. Now we just pushed that back too—we will be fifty-two or fifty-three—Dan wasn't even that old when he died".

"Dan was shot, it's not like it's hereditary," Haley told him. "And fifties isn't that old—".

"It will feel that way when we just spent the past thirty-four years raising kids," Nathan told her.

Haley didn't say anything, that was a good point, as badly as she hated to admit it.

"I will not love these babies any less than I love Jamie and Lydia, but we were only married for a year before you got pregnant with him," Nathan told her. "And we spent a great deal of that apart—I love our family, but I love my wife and I loved her first, maybe I'm selfish but I want to wake up and still be young enough that we can live our lives—do you realize that we are going to have children in either middle school or high school and have grandchildren"?

"Wait—what"?

"If Jamie has kids at the same age we had Lydia—we will be raising kids at the same time our son is".

"Well, now I feel old—thank you," Haley said shaking her head. "Nathan, people have kids our age every day—".

"You're right, they do," he said. "It's not about our age, it's—just promise me, we're done after this? No more kids, in eighteen years it will be just you and me like it was before".

"Nineteen".

"What"?

"Well, I'm pregnant so technically it's nineteen—but that's not the point," she said when she saw Nathan's face change erratically. "Yes, no more kids".

"I don't want to seem ungrateful because there are people—like Brooke who can't get pregnant at the drop of a hat," Nathan told her. "We have two perfectly healthy pain in the asses, but I want to take my wife out on a date without worrying about a sitter or take a vacation where we spend most of the time naked—hell all of the time naked. For the love of God, I want to have sex in my own house without worrying about one of the kid's hearing".

Haley laughed. "Do you even like our children"?

"You really have to be careful what day you ask me that question".

"Nathan, I get it—I think all parents do, some just don't want to admit it," Haley told him. "But, we have time for us—we do".

"When"? He asked. "When was the last time we took a trip together? Just us? Or when was the last time we went out just to eat pizza just us? We are always with the kids, and if we aren't with them that's what we talk about. Over ninety percent of our conversation pertains to our kids, now? Now, there is going to be more, we are going to be outnumbered. There are four of them and two of us—oh, God and Jamie is going to be their leader. It's going to be like that movie" he said snapping his finger. "What's that movie—we watched it a thousand times, with Gerard Butler, it's got numbers and —".

"300"?

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, that's going to be our kids," he said and deepens his voice as rough as he could "this is Sparta"!

Haley reached over and took the drink in his hand and sniffed the liquid inside earning a puzzled look from her husband. "Just checking," she said handing it back. "You're being a little dramatic".

"I'm panicking—join me will you"? He asked. "Twins, that's two people, and how are you so calm"?

"Because, the doctor said maybe—the hormone levels mixed with the baby gestational age, but it could be a thousand different things," Haley told him. "But, even if we do, it's not the worst thing Nathan—Brooke did".

"Brooke didn't have a moody teenager and miniature Deb"!

"Did you just compare our daughter after your mother"? Haley asked.

"She has imaginary friends, any signs of physiological break down immediately gives my mother credit," Nathan said. "She might be naked after your mother but she the Lee in her runs deep, any crazy in our kids comes from my family".

"I'm sensing that," Haley said as she observed her husband.

"What? Me? You think I'm crazy"?

"Well, you're the one in an emotional crisis right now" Haley pointed out. "Look, having twins is a big deal, but it's babies—I know we decided to quit trying, but it's done. We are having two precious babies, who when you hold you'll forget all about how you feel right now—just like with Jamie".

"I'm sure I'll remember when I have to buy half of the diapers in aisle six," Nathan told her.

"Will you"? Haley asked. "Or will you be too eager to get home because one started crawling, or because they said their first word, held their bottle for the first time. You're panicking now, but I'm a year, you won't remember this".

Nathan looked at his wife, and he knew she was right. He knew that despite everything he was feeling, and everything he was thinking in a year it wouldn't matter.

None of it would.

"But, until we know for sure that it's twins—let's not talk about it or think about, let's treat this like a normal pregnancy," Haley told him. "Because chances are that might be what it is".

Nathan nodded. "I was just going to suggest that, you seemed to be having a mental break down over nothing".

Haley pinched her husband's side and he laughed, looking over at her he ran his fingers through her long wavy hair. "Just promise me something"?

"Yes, it's the last one—or ones," she said huffing.

"No—I mean thank you, but that's not it," he said. "Promise me we start making time for us, alone time, raising all these kids I don't want to forget what made them, us, you and me and the fact that we fell in love all those years ago".

Haley pressed her forehead to his, and gently kissed his lips. "I don't think anyone could ever forget that, but yeah—we will always make time for us".

"I have an idea, let's go on a trip," he said.

"A trip"?

"What do you call them—a baby star"?

Haley laughed. "A babymoon"?

Nathan smiled but nodded. "The baby or babies should be here before summer, we could take a trip before they get here. Spend some time together, just us, no one else".

"I like that idea," Haley said and looked around. "You know you have been sitting here talking about being alone and spending some time together—just us, and we have an empty hotel room upstairs, why aren't we using it"?

Nathan looked at her and smiled "come on".

He stood up and pulled Haley by her hand. They kissed as they ran out the door, and they kissed as they rode the elevator, but it wasn't until the burst through the door to their room that it all really began.

Nathan lifted his wife as the two made their way into the bathroom, he opted for the shower as he knew the sweat leaking from his skin wasn't the most appealing.

The couple stood beneath the falling water kissing, skin on skin until the water turned cold.

Until Haley couldn't breathe anymore until it was all they could do to hold themselves on their feet before they made their way to their bed before they laid there—watching as the morning traffic slowly escalated until cars filled the highway from one end to the other.

"So," Haley said as she laid comfortably in her husband's arms. "When exactly are we taking this trip"?

Nathan looked down into her eyes and smiled. "I don't know, I will have to check on my vacation time with Clay when I get back, I'm sure he will move some things around—he owes me," Nathan said. "I covered a lot of time when Quinn gave birth".

"If we go away, and I spend a week or more like this—I may never want to go home," Haley said planting a small kiss on his chest.

"I can't say I would disagree".

Haley picked up her husband's wrist and looked at the time on his watch "okay we have to get up".

"Says who"?

"Says continental breakfast".

Nathan laughed as he watched his pregnant wife quickly dress, so find her way towards a free breakfast.

* * *

**8:12 AM**

Keith was new to technology, but he was thankful that muting a television had yet to change. He picked the remote up and pressed the button, silencing the movie that was playing on the flat screen in front of his bed.

Although he half wondered why he felt the need to turn the volume off just to answer a door. Was that something he had always done? His entire life had become nothing but a series of questions, things that felt normal and part of his everyday life suddenly made him question everything.

Was it normal—or was it a sign of something wrong with his brain? Was the surgery botched? Was it an after effect of surgery? Was it caused by lying in a coma for so many years?

Would he ever feel the same, or sane?

Was everything he did going to cause him to question himself for the rest of his life?

When Keith opened the door, it pulled him out of his horrible train of thoughts, and on to a new set.

"Good morning," Lily told her father, though he had only just met her he could hear the shift in her voice that he wasn't familiar with.

"Is it"? He asked, crossing his arms.

"Erm—can I come in? I brought breakfast" she said holding the tray in her hands up full of food.

Keith opened the door, and she slowly walked past him, sitting the tray down on the table.

"I didn't know what you liked, I just know what mom told me," Lily said. "But, I didn't know if you still liked that or if something had changed, so I get one of everything, but then I thought what if you're really hungry and you only liked certain things, so I got two. But, then I wanted to eat with you—and I didn't know what you would like and how much so I got four, but then I didn't know—".

"You're rambling".

"I know," Lily said biting on her lip. "I do it when I'm nervous".

"You didn't seem nervous last night when you were yelling at Luke".

"That's different," Lily told him. "Luke is my older brother and he tries to tell me what to do".

"Probably because he is up until now he has been the only prenatal figure you have had since your mom passed," Keith told her sitting down at the table. "You know he didn't have to take you in or take care of you, but you the things you needed, let alone the things you wanted".

Lily sat down in the vacant chair and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Do we have to talk about Luke"?

"We could move on to you running away if you'd like," he said.

Lily tucked her legs beneath her and crossed her arms. "I didn't run away," she said, trying her best to contain her tone. "I went with a friend".

"Without telling any of the adults in your life, let alone getting approval".

"No one would have let me if I had"! Lily told him.

"Probably because you shouldn't be crossing the country by yourself at sixteen," Keith told her. "What if the three of you had broken down in the middle of nowhere"?

"I would call a tow truck".

"You have no cell phone service, now what are you going to do"?

Lily looked at him. "I don't know what the right answer is, I know that you're mad at me—and that really sucks, and I'm sorry, but my friend needed me. Don't you understand that? Didn't you ever have friends that needed you and you would be there for them, no matter what"?

Keith looked at Lily, who was clearly beyond words upset, but she kept talking anyway. And the more she talked, the more questions she asked, the more one person came to his fragile mind.

"There was one person, she was my best friend," Keith told Lily. "Your mom, I would have done anything for Karen".

Lily smiled when he mentioned her mother.

"And I'm trying to think what she would have said to you or how she would have handled this" Keith told her. "If she had woke up and her sixteen-year-old daughter had run away, and don't defend it because that's what we are calling it. If she woke up and was completely frantic that you had just left in the middle of the night no note, no nothing—".

"If I did anything I would have texted, no one leaves notes anymore," Lily told him.

"I do," he said. "I leave notes, every time someone tells me something that might be worth remembering I write it down, so I don't forget a middle name or a birthday or the fact that I have a daughter—I woke up and I was robbed of a big piece of not only my life but yours, I missed everything. I am trying to push nearly two decades in my head, but my brain isn't cooperating, every time I forget something I wonder if it's my brain or I just simply forget which humans are allowed to do—I am allowed to do. And I worry that I'm going to forget something, or someone, that is one of the downfalls of brain surgery. It can cause memory loss from your past and affect your future, and I wake up and you have taken off—you're not allowed to do that".

Lily felt bad, she looked at Keith with a tear in her eye, and she knew at that moment how bad she screwed up.

"I spent my whole life praying that by some miracle I would get to meet you, somehow—someway, if it was in a dream or—something and now you're here," Lily told him.

"Then why would you take off like that"? He asked. "Why would you leave the next morning"?

Lily took his hand. "You can ground me or whatever, I really am sorry I worried you but I have a friend, a friend who needed me, I've never had a friend before," she said. "I have never had someone who needs me, and who I needed—I'm sorry, daddy, I really am".

Keith squeezed her hand lightly as she laid her head on his shoulder.

The sound of a door opened caused Lily to turn around, to see Deb walking out of the bathroom—dressed, but her hair wet.

"Oh" Lily said. "I didn't know you were in here".

"We shared a room," Deb told her.

Lily looked back and forth from her father to Deb, and could only muster up one word. "Eww".

"There are two beds Lily" Deb pointed out.

Lily looked and was thanking all the gods in heaven that they both look slept in, but then an even more disturbing thought crossed her mind.

What if they had sex in both beds? What if they had sex—at the table?

"Okay" Lily said jumping up. "I'm going to go and let you two—whatever".

"I thought you wanted to eat breakfast"? Keith asked her.

"I'm good, Chuck is downstairs—I will eat with him," she said.

"Would you stop it"? Deb asked. "She is weirded out" she explained to Keith. "She thinks we had sex, which we didn't".

"Technically you have, when demon Dan caught you and I don't want—I'm just going to go".

"You told my daughter we had sex"? Keith asked.

"Great, you can't remember if you're left or right-handed but that you remember"? Deb asked.

"Doesn't matter—I'm going to go?" Lily said ducking out the door as fast as humanly possible.

Deb looked up at Keith who sat at the table playing with a piece of bacon, a lot longer than he should have. "You like it," she said as she began brushing her wet hair.

"I know I do, but do I like it because I tried it before I knew or do I like it because I used to like it"?

Deb blinked. Twice. "It's bacon, who doesn't like bacon—I would have sex with someone that smells like bacon".

Keith looked at her, both eyebrows high into his forehead.

"It was a joke, you and your daughter are the two most paranoid people I have ever met," Deb told him. "And for the record—you're not going to forget Lily".

Keith looked up "you were eavesdropping"?

"Of course, I don't think she got what you were saying but I did, and it's not going to happen".

"The doctor said a traumatic event could alter my brain and what I have already learned—about myself, or worse—others, Lily".

Deb sat down in the seat Lily had been sitting in and she took Keith's hand. "I won't let that happen, we won't. You're going to get through this".

"Will I ever get my memory back? The pieces I'm missing—the years I spent with Karen"? Keith asked.

Deb wanted to answer him, she wants to tell him that one day he would wake up and he would remember it, all of if. But, she knew what that would entail, she knew that meant he would remember it, the moment that changed his life forever.

The moment his brother picked a gun up, and aimed it at him, and pulled the trigger—and that was something she worried he would never recover from.

"I don't know," Deb told him rubbing his forearm softly. "But, I am here, I'm not going anywhere, I will see you through this".

* * *

**8:45 Am**

Peyton didn't know if it was possible to yawn bigger until she did—again and again until her jaw almost felt sore. It seemed like a never-ending tragic game as she walked through the dining room of the hotel, find the first pot of coffee she could find—not paying attention if it was regular or decaf, though she would come to regret that decision later.

As she mixed her sugar she wondered if she had slept at all, she remembered lying down and waking up, and then she remembered—nothing. No rest, no dreams—she tossed and she turned in the empty bed, wishing for nothing more than something to settle her mind and her body. All of which were few rooms down, but couldn't find herself to walk the halls to him.

Jake.

She couldn't even remember why they agreed to sleep in different rooms, but they had.

Whatever it was had to be a stupid reason if she couldn't even remember it now.

"Do you know the best part about a five-star hotel"? Haley asked coming up behind her taking the large coffee pot and pouring herself her very own glass.

Peyton shook her head, mid-yawn, assuming her friend was going to answer anyways, probably something to do with literature. Or—Nathan.

Neither of which Peyton had the patience for this early.

"A five-star breakfast," Haley said as she took a large bite out of her muffin. "This is so good".

"Get a room," Peyton told her as she watched Haley devour the food in her palm. "Or did you already"?

"What"? Haley asked, almost incomprehensible.

"For a five-star hotel, they have one-star walls—and I am in the room next to some sex-crazed nymphomaniac's," Peyton said. "I woke up to a porn show—without the visualizes, thank God! Who wakes up at the awe crack of dawn and decides to have sex"?

"I'm sure you have—woke up before and had some—amazing, morning sex before, too," Haley said as she swiped her finger across the cinnamon bun, eating the icing, not looking at Peyton.

"Oh, my god—that was you"? Peyton groaned.

"I never said it was me".

"So, you're telling me you didn't just have sex"?

"I definitely didn't say that," Haley said smiling.

"In case you didn't know most people are okay with waking up to the sound of birds chirping, not a porno," Peyton told her.

Haley took a large sip of her coffee and shook her head "you're crabby".

"Should you even be drinking that"? Peyton asked.

Haley glanced up. She knew what Peyton meant, she just didn't know why, or how.

"It's decaf—Wait, you know"?

"With every pregnancy, you get worse and worse at hiding it," Peyton told her but glanced down at the coffee. "You got your coffee from the same pot I did".

"And it still reads decaf," Haley said holding it up.

Peyton looked down into her mug filled with liquid, realizing why she hadn't had her morning jolt she was used to, it didn't have the caffeine she needed. She groaned and dumbed the cup into the nearest sink, before refilling it with the correct liquid.

"Congratulations by the way," Peyton said as she mixed sugar in. "Do you congratulate when it's the third baby? Or is it like the hunger games, may the odds be ever in your favor"?

"Please, please don't make that joke to Nathan, he was already doing his 'this is Sparta' impersonation—which is dead on, so whatever you do keep that comment to yourself," Haley told her.

Peyton chuckled. "So, Nathan isn't excited about the pregnancy, that answers my were you trying question".

"I don't think it's the pregnancy that's got him in a tizzy," Haley told her. "There is a chance it might be twins—but we won't know until we get back".

Peyton looked up at Haley, her eyes wide. "Twins"? She asked. "That sounds—exciting".

"It sounds like two births in one" Haley told her. "That's the only part I'm nervous about, Nathan is a little—apprehensive about it".

"I'd say," Peyton told her. "But, it will be okay, it will all work itself out".

"That's how I feel—but when I left Nathan he was planning a vacation, he acts like we are never going to be alone," Haley said.

Peyton rubbed Haley's shoulder. "Out of our entire dysfunctional group you and Nathan are the most kick-ass parents, those babies are lucky to have you two".

Haley smiled. "I have really been stressing over my parenting skills, so I will take the compliment".

Peyton, now pumped full of caffeine, glanced over her shoulder and observed the large room—looking for one person in particular. When she saw that she was nowhere in sight she turned back around and said: "I need a favor" in a very low voice, just loud enough for Haley to hear, and only Haley.

"I need you to talk to Brooke—check on her for me".

"Why can't you"? Haley asked.

Peyton bit down on her bottom lip, there was really no way to lie around that question, no matter how many different ways she thought of in her head—Haley was too smart for any of it.

"Well," the curly blonde said, risking her life as she reached out and took one of the muffins off of Haley's plate. "It's about her and Luke, I think, I don't know entirely, are they okay"?

Haley slowly nodded.

"They're dating right"?

Haley was now the one attempting to come up with a lie in her head, but it wasn't because Peyton was to smart to fall for it, she was, but Haley was a bad liar. If her life depended on her lying, she would just go on and pick out the best casket she could find.

"Why do you think that"? Haley asked. "I mean what makes you think that? Or what's the cause of your thought process that makes you think that your best friend is dating your ex-husband"?

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Relax, Haley, I know," she said. "If they're not, they are thinking about it".

"Why would you—"?

"Can we skip the part where you pretend that you don't know like I said I know everything even when no one tells me"? Peyton asked. "This is about Brooke, I am worried and I am relying on you for this".

"Wow, you know everything," Haley said. "And no one doesn't not tell you anything—did that make sense".

"Unfortunately, perfectly," Peyton told her.

"No one leaves you out," Haley told her.

"Really? So, you're telling me that Brooke doesn't know that you're pregnant"? Peyton asked, tilting her head, as she waited for an answer that she already knew. "She was really drunk yesterday as if she was drinking for two people—perhaps so no one would know that you were pregnant? That wasn't what was going on"?

Haley didn't answer, she just looked at Peyton, sympathetically.

"Relax, I'm not upset or anything. I'm actually happy for you" Peyton told her. "When Luke and I moved away a lot of things changed, I always thought I would stand next to Brooke when she got married but you were her maid of honor, it was my own fault, I couldn't make it to the wedding, but you're her best friend now. Not me. It's completely fine when I came back a lot had changed, Luke fit right back in as if no time had passed, and I'm sitting over here like an outsider".

"You're not an outsider".

"Haley, I'm like Kip on friends".

"Who"?

"Exactly," Peyton said. "It's fine, Brooke and I were once best friends, and now that's your job, even when she traveled with Luke and me if she had a problem she called you and not talk to me, who was right there. But, it's all fine—I'm totally team Braley".

Peyton wasn't trying to make Haley feel bad, she really wasn't, but she was. And the with every "fine" she was Haley felt worse and worse. The former singer couldn't help but think of all the times she had been left out, unintentionally—for the most part. Or all the times they got together without her, with no one realizing she had forgotten to be invited.

Haley quickly realized no one had even thought to invite her on this trip, but there she stood.

"This isn't what I want to talk about," Peyton said, jerking Haley out of her own thoughts. "I was talking to Brooke last night, and she got a little upset, I mentioned how I was thinking about having sex with Jake and—".

"You two haven't had sex yet"?

Peyton rolled her eyes. "You have been spending too much time with Brooke" she pointed out. "You're not one to judge me, you waited until you were married".

"I was seventeen, though—does it really count"?

Peyton didn't answer, because the point was a solid one. "Anyways," she said. "Brooke got really defensive when I mentioned something about my body, all I was was my body wasn't the same as it was when I was a teenager and we haven't been together since—".

"Are you kidding"? Haley asked. "I'm about to expand for two humans and you're worried about your size four problems"?

"I'm worried that I am never going to be able to finish a sentence," Peyton told her.

Haley looked up from her coffee, half smiled and half pouted. "Sorry," she said crossing her arms, but she only half meant it.

"Has she had sex with Luke"?

"You're a really cool ex-wife, in case no one has told you," Haley said smiling.

"Haley, she got really upset—defensive" Peyton told her. "She started going on and on about how people would kill for a body like mine. She walked away so fast—Brooke has always been very confident, at least when it comes to her body".

"And you think she is feeling insecure"? Haley asked.

Peyton shrugged. "I don't know, that's why I need your help".

"My help"?

"I can't just waltz hip to her and figure out if she is feeling some type of way about her body—especially if it had to do with Luke".

"You really need to familiarize yourself with the definitions for can and can't," Haley told her. "You could, you very easily could. You just won't".

"Fine, I just won't".

"Why don't you just tell her that you know"? Haley asked.

"I slept with Lucas while they were still together, it was years ago I know—it's water under the bridge but this is how I'm trying to make up for it," Peyton said. "She will tell me when she is ready, I'm not going to push her. I am going to let her figure things out, with me out of the equation, then when she is ready, she will come to tell me" she told Haley. "There was a time in our lives when we shared everything, including Luke, but we aren't teenagers anymore. I am going to give her, her space and let her figure things out without me. I feel like if she knew I knew it would complicate things for her, she needs to decide if she wants to be with Luke for herself. Brooke knows she has my blessing, but for now, that's all she needs to know. This decision she has to make has to be for her and only for her—I owe her".

Haley took Peyton's hand and gave it a small squeeze. "So, you want me to talk to her"?

"Please"? Peyton asked. "I can't—but she needs to be able to talk to someone, if she is feeling insecure or hurting she needs to talk about it, so someone can hit her over the head with some facts. Regardless of what's wrong, and something is, she needs to talk to someone".

"I suppose you don't want me to mention that you sent me either"?

"If you could find a way around it, I would appreciate it".

"I think I can figure something out," Haley told her.

Peyton smiled. "I owe you one".

"Babysitting, I will need lots of babysitting".

* * *

9 Am

Lucas reached the door he had been looking for and wasn't entirely shocked when he found it propped open, only halfway. He double-checked the suite number before pushing the door, just another quarter of the way open, just to be safe—not like another embarrassing moment would affect his track record at this point in life, but he preferred to keep them within his own state lines.

"Brooke"?

"Yeah" he heard her familiar voice, though wasn't sure where exactly it had come from. "Come on in"

Lucas walked over the threshold and closed the door tightly behind him.

"I got your texts," he said as he walked further into the room. "What's up"?

Brooke walked out of the bathroom, with nothing on but a skin-tight pencil skirt—and the fact that he knew that was somewhat shocking, and a bright pink bra. "I need your help deciding what to wear"?

Lucas leaned against the dresser the large television sat on and smiled. "Well, as sexy as that is—I do advice maybe a shirt".

Brooke rolled her eyes. "I need to look professional, I guess," she said. "Black is threatening, red is the color of blood—neither of which I need today".

Lucas smiled and walked over to her bed looking at the insane amount of clothes spread out across it.

"What about this"? Lucas asked holding a shirt up.

"That's a corset," she said. "It goes under my clothes, but good to know you like it".

Lucas looked down at the white lacy undergarment, he smiled before she jerked it out of his hand, and tossed it to the side.

"Black and red are out, what about white"? Lucas asked pointing at a shirt.

"After Labor Day"?

Lucas scoffed. "Why exactly did you call me to come help"? He asked.

"I know it seems crazy—considering you wear the same shirt six times in one week—".

"And the fact that you are a multi-million dollar fashion designer"? Lucas asked, cocking a smile at her.

"Yes, I know what's in style—I write the book for what's in style, but not to walk into a prison and look presentable," Brooke said. "Or if I'm supposed to, but you had a father in prison once—".

"Who I never went to see" Lucas reminded her. "And if I had, I wouldn't have dressed up to go".

"I know, but if this woman knows something about Madison's parents I need her to trust me, to tell me," Brooke told him. "My outfit can't be the reason this all goes to hell today".

"It won't be if it goes to hell—it won't be your fault," Lucas told her, and he leaned down. "What about these"?

"Jeans"?

"Skinny jeans, some cute heels, and that plain white shirt— sophisticated and casual, no big bright colors, and extremely sexy".

Brooke looked at him, and for whatever reason, she took the jeans out of his hand.

Lucas sat down in the chair by the window, and he wasn't even going to pretend to look away when Brooke shimmed out of her skirt and slipped into the jeans he gave her—and slipped the shirt over her head.

"Okay, so calling you was a good idea—you're right, I look hot," Brooke said as she looked in the full-length mirror. "It's not threatening, I look approachable—".

"You've got to stop watching Orange is the new black," Lucas said chuckling to himself. "You're going to a prison, you're not going to prison".

Brooke rolled her eyes, but she did it with a smile, a smile that lit up the room, and Lucas' world.

"You have two girlfriends here, and you called me to come help," Lucas said leaning back in his seat. "Does that mean you just wanted to see me"?

Brooke, who had begun curling her hair with a hot iron, looked at Lucas through the mirror she as in front of. "You want me to say yes, don't you"?

"It wouldn't hurt my feelings if you did," he said. "I'm happy you called me, it's been a long time since I have seen a half-naked Brooke Davis".

Brooke shrugged. "I guess that was part of it—and then I haven't told Peyton, about whatever this is," she said guiding her index finger between her and Lucas as she reached for her hairspray. "And I feel like I'm lying around her, I mean I am sort of. I'm hiding something from her".

"Do you want me to talk to her"?

Brooke turned around and looked back at him. "You would, wouldn't you? You would put yourself in an extremely awkward conversation with your ex-wife, for me"?

"Brooke, I would jump in front of a moving bus or a bullet for you," he said.

When Brooke turned back around to continue fixing her hair, she couldn't wipe the smile off of her face—and trust me, she tried.

"Thank you—but no" Brooke said. "This is something I need to do, I just haven't yet, and I don't know when I will".

"You take all the time you need," Lucas said looking at her. "I have waited for you for almost twenty years, I'm a patient man".

Brooke shook her head, trying her best to swallow the butterflies roaming around inside her body.

"Then Haley," Brooke said, attempting to keep the conversation going before it continued to Segway and she wouldn't be able to recover. "I didn't want to bother her either, she needed her rest. She has so much going on with Nathan, Lydia, Jamie, and now the baby".

"The what"?

Brooke turned around realizing that maybe she spilled the tea, that wasn't hers to spill.

"Oops," she said. "I don't know if I was supposed to tell you that—she's pregnant".

Lucas was genuinely shocked, so it was no secret he didn't know. "Wow," he said. "They are having another baby"?

Brooke nodded. "She just found out".

"How is she feeling"?

"Good, I think," Brooke said. "They have just decided to quit trying not too long ago, I think they were content with it just being them and the kids, so it will be an adjustment".

"Isn't every pregnancy"? Lucas asked.

Brooke nodded. "Yeah, but when you make a decision to not have anymore and when one comes out of left field—it's hard to get used to an idea that you threw out the window, but she found out early so that gives her more time to get used to the idea".

"How early"? Lucas asked.

"I don't even think she was late yet," Brooke told him.

"If she wasn't late, and they weren't trying, how did she find out so early"?

Brooke smiled because even before she said it, she knew she had one of the best people in the world to be her friend. She unplugged the curling iron and gave her hair a small toss, loosening her fresh curls. "She went to the doctor for a check-up, she planned to get pregnant—but with my baby".

"What"? Lucas asked, his face turning in a thousand different ways, as God knows what rushed through his mind.

Brooke laughed. "She was going to be my surrogate," she said walking over and string on the edge of the bed across from him. "She went to the doctor to find out—if she could".

"Your—surrogate"?

Brooke nodded. "I have been looking into it, I froze my eggs before Julian died, and I'm not getting any younger—especially if I am having at least three more".

"You want three more"? Lucas asked.

Brooke smiled wide. "I grew up an only child, hell I pretty much grew up all alone. Peyton was all I had, I spent very few nights with both my parents in the house—and even then dad stayed in his study and mom never left her room, they would fake a smile for holidays but I was alone. I think that's why I want this big family, I want the noise and the mess and the chaos, I want the movie nights and the game nights, the stress that comes with trying to find the perfect Halloween outfit for five different kids, I want to wake up with little feet in my face".

"Five kids, huh"? Lucas asked leaning forward taking her small hand into his.

"Yeah"?

"So, if you met this guy, who already had a child—possibly a hyperactive optimistic blonde—would the number change, or would it still be five"? Lucas asked looking up at her.

Brooke's eyes instantly took up her entire face. "Whoa" she said. "I think you just skipped a bunch of steps".

"I gave you a hypothetical man—what you did with that in your own head is on you," Lucas told her.

Brooke smiled, as she rubbed the back of his hand, twisting her fingers around the watch he was wearing. "If—if I met someone, he has to understand that three is just a number I put in my head, it doesn't mean I will make it to three and it doesn't mean I will stop at three," she said. "Whoever, 'he' is, he has to understand that I want a big family, and he has to be okay with it".

"You know," Lucas said running his hands up her bare arms, smiling. "I think I know someone—who might be okay with it".

Brooke laughed when Lucas pulled her over to him, she tucked each one of her knees on both sides of him, planting them into the large chair he was sitting in.

"In case anyone hasn't told you lately—you have a beautiful smile, pretty girl".

Brooke looked down at Lucas, melting completely. There were a thousand things she could say at this moment, there was a million she wanted to say—but she didn't.

She didn't say anything.

Her mind was racing and it crashed entirely when she felt his hands on her waist, Brooke looked down at herself—though not to look at him afraid she might do something that she wasn't prepared for, but she saw herself—straddling Lucas to the chair.

It seemed as though tearing her eyes from him made it worse—Brooke slowly lowered herself, completely into his lap and she moved forward, as close to him as she could.

Brooke was certain she didn't have control over her body anymore, because it no longer felt like she was fighting her urges.

All the things that ran through her head, of why this was a bad idea, of why the shouldn't—she couldn't remember them anymore.

Brooke closed her eyes softly when she felt Lucas reach his hand up and cup the side of her face, and she melted into him, with no intention of ever moving. She felt her whole body quiver as he glided his thumb across her bottom lip—and that was it.

Their lips crashed into each other's and though they had kissed before, it felt like the first time. Everything, everyone—vanquished from their minds.

Lucas, gently, parted her lips and wrapped his arms tightly around her as he picked her up, lay her across the bed—on top of all the clothes she had spread across them not bothering to take the time to push them out of the way. He was careful not to separate their lips, for even the smallest second.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

Brooke ran her fingers through the back of Lucas' hair, grasping his blonde locks in her hands before sliding her fingers down his body—and under his shirt.

She hadn't remembered his skin ever being this warm, she hadn't remembered his kisses being this intoxicating—perhaps she purposely blocked this part of her life from her mind.

And now—she was recalling why, why she chose to forget this.

It was too good to remember.

It was the little things that set her skin on fire, like Lucas running his hand halfway up the back of her shirt, and leaving it there, just the feel of his skin on hers was exhilarating.

Everything around her spun out of control—

The two parted for the first time at the sound of a ringing, her phone ringing.

Brooke groaned as she glanced over at her phone that sat at the head of the bed, she reached her hand out and picked it up.

"It's—my lawyer," Brooke told him.

Lucas kissed the top of her nose, and stood up—Brooke sat up, running her fingers through her hair—attempting to calm her breathing, before answering.

* * *

**9:14 AM**

Mouth did his best to keep up with Skills, he watched as his friend repeatedly looked down at the number he had written on his hand, then at the numbers that hung on the doors. He scratched the back of his head as he paused, glanced in two different directions, and then ultimately turned down a different hallway.

"The girl's hotel is back that way" Mouth said, pointing. "Lucy said—".

"I'm not looking for their hotel room," Skills told him, plainly.

"I thought you wanted to talk to Madison".

"I am".

"I'm confused".

Skills scoffed. "While you were getting the girl's hotel number from Lucy, I did something productive, like getting Jamie's from Nate".

"What makes you think she is in Jamie's"?

Skills rolled his eyes. "Just a hunch".

Mouth looked back over his shoulders, feeling more than just slightly uneasy. "She is probably already nervous about today—do you think this is such a good idea"?

"Not at all" Skills answered more honestly than either thought he would. "But, I don't have a choice—I have too. I promised Lauren".

"Well, you're shaping into a good little prison wife," Mouth said clapping his friend on the back—which proved to be his worst mistake, from the look he got, and he removed his hand before he lost it.

"She hasn't gone to prison".

"Yet," Mouth said, and didn't realize he had actually said it, out loud, until he felt the vibration from inside his throat.

"Which is exactly why I need to talk to Madison," Skills told him. "Here it is".

Mouth crashed into the back of Skills when he came to an abrupt stop, and if Mouth had a threatening bone in his body Skills would have been terrified from the look he received. However, he didn't so his friend wasn't.

Skills didn't hesitate, he hit his knuckles against the door, twice. The two waited, not for long before the door opened, and there stood Jamie, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Do you ever wear clothes"? Mouth asked, looking at him up and down.

"Chill, Dawg" Skills told him. "It's not like he is going to take Lucy's v-card, too".

Jamie let his head hang at the comment. "For the record, I took one girl's virginity—the same one who took mine, my girlfriend," Jamie told them folding his arms. "What could I possibly do for you"?

"You could be a little more polite" Mouth mentioned.

Skills looked at his friend, and he knew what was happening, he knew that Mouth was simply trying to stall—he assumed that he would change his mind. At least until later.

"You could get Madison" Skills told him, ignoring Mouth. "I need to speak with her".

"Did you check her room"? He asked. "It's down this hall and take a right—".

"J-Luke, dawg—could you just get her"? Skills asked. "It's important".

Jamie looked at Skills and he knew that Madison was in his room, and Jamie knew that Skills knew, and the man he grew up with, one of his family's closets friends looked sincerely concerned—he just didn't know about what.

Jamie tried to think of what he could possibly want with Madison, they knew each other but it wasn't like they shared pizza every Thursday. Instead of trying to figure it out he nodded.

"Babe" Jamie called. "Come here, someone's at the door for you".

"Who is it"? They all heard Madison call back.

Jamie scoffed. "Oscar and Felix".

"Oscar and who"? Madison asked, her voice drenched in confusion as she appeared, with nothing but a large white bathrobe on, courtesy of the hotel. "Oh, hey—what's going on"?

Madison looked to Jamie for answers but got nothing more than a simple shrug.

"Is everything okay"? Madison asked.

"Lauren called this morning," Skills told her, immediately.

Madison didn't hesitate before turning on her heel, but Jamie stopped her, pressing his arm against the side of the door frame while his other was held against the door. Successfully blocking her from going anywhere.

"She just wants to talk," Skills told her. "She has been on house arrest but her court date, her sentencing is coming up—Maddie she might go to jail, for a very long time".

"I don't want to talk to her or about her" Madison said a small tear dwelling in her eye. "I trusted her, and I have nothing to say to her".

Jamie looked down at Madison and he knew that look, the one where he could see her breaking from the inside out, so he took his arm down and let her walkthrough. He watched as she stormed to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Jame" Skills said as he went to go after his girlfriend. "Lauren is looking at some serious time, she just wanted to talk to Madison, one last time. She isn't asking for anything else—her lawyer suggested that Madison testify".

"I don't think that's going to happen," Jamie said.

"Ten to twenty, that's what she is looking at," Skills said. "Ten to twenty years, all for taking in a child, raising her as her own—now because she did that she is going to miss her own growing up, she isn't a bad person we all know that, even Madison".

Jamie had a soft spot for Lauren, he always had, but he knew what Skills were saying was the truth. He knew that she wasn't a bad person, he knew that she didn't deserve any of what she was getting—but he loved Madison, and that outweighed it all.

"I will talk to her," Jamie said. "Once. I will ask her, and if she says no—it's no, I won't push her".

Skills nodded. "Thank you".

Jamie nodded in response as he shut the door, and carefully made his way to the bathroom.

He opened the door to find his girlfriend, standing there—doing her make up, not that she needed it.

"Did you hear"? He asked as he grabbed as he began shuffling around inside his bag.

"Did you hope that I wouldn't"?

"No, I hoped that you would—so that I get out of having to ask you," he said as he located a pair of underwear and jeans, and pulled them both out of his bag. "You can be pissed at Lauren all you want but you owe it to her to at least talk to her? She isn't asking you to testify, that's Skills. You owe her".

"Excuse me"? Madison asked looking over at him, to find her boyfriend pulling his underwear up his legs and under his towel. "I owe her? Whose side are you on, James"?

"Yours," he said as he began putting his jeans on. "I am always on yours, but if she hadn't done what she did I wouldn't even be on yours, social services could have taken you away from me before I got the chance to love you if it wasn't for her".

"But—".

"But, nothing Maddie," Jamie said. "She took care of you, fed you, the only thing she didn't do was tell you something—and she was probably trying to protect you. All Lauren ever did was look out for you".

Madison turned back, in an attempt to avoid her boyfriend—but that became impossible when she looked up into the mirror, to see him standing directly behind her.

"Can we not talk about it—at least today"? She asked.

Jamie leaned down, kissing her softly just below her ear. "I promise not to say anything else about it," he said wrapping his arms around her.

"Why are you doing your make up"? He asked.

"Just because I'm going a prison doesn't mean I can't look nice," Madison said and looked through the mirror to see a smile on Jamie's face. "Don't?" she said swatting him with her large makeup brush. "Whatever comment is running through your head—kept it there".

Jamie nodded. He knew better than to test her to see what would happen. "What's going on with you this morning"? He asked as he let go of her, turning around and leaning his back against the sink, with the perfect view of his girlfriend.

"I'm just a little nervous".

"That's not what I mean," he said, playing with the tie around her robe. "You have nice clothes laid out and you have redone your makeup six different times, what's going on"?

"I just want to look nice, that's all".

"Shouldn't you save that, for when you meet your real parents"? He asked. "Not these people".

Madison looked up at him and felt as he slipped his hand into her robe, pulling her body into his. With his hand nestled perfectly below her rib cage, his hand on her bare skin—she almost forgot to answer to him. "What if they are my parents"?

"Maddie".

"I'm serious," Madison said. "Lauren could have been wrong, she didn't have any actual proof that they weren't".

"Then doesn't that make this worse"? He asked. "If you're real biological parents left you, abandoned you? You're getting dressed up for a woman who either kidnapped you or a woman who birthed you and left you".

Madison stepped back, out of Jamie's embrace and walked back into the wall. She fought the tears, but they won when they all began to leak out of her eyes until they couldn't stop. "I'm basically in a damned if I do and damned if I don't situation—I just want to know who my parents are so bad Jamie—I need to know, I need this. If it's them and they are these horrible people, then at least I know".

"And you don't think you deserve better than that"? He asked. "Because I do—I think you deserve a hell of a lot better. Do you want them to be your parents"?

Madison didn't answer him instantly, because she didn't know. "If it's them, the hunt is over—and if it isn't I don't know what's next," she said. "I can remember them—I remember living in a multi-language home. She spoke French and he spoke Spanish, I spoke both, and we all spoke English—I remember you could never understand my mother very well even when she did speak English".

"She has a really heavy accent" Jamie defended himself, quickly.

"Even when they left that's who I had in my mind, they were my parents—they were who I was," Madison said softly. "I was the daughter of a sophisticated French woman and reckless and carefree man from Spain, if I go in there and they tell me they aren't my parents then everything is a lie—my whole life just goes out the door, and I don't know where to go with that".

Jamie caught Madison before she hit the floor, and she cried and cried in his arms.

"Look at me," Jamie said cupping her face in both his hands. "I do, I know who you are—no matter what you find out today it doesn't change anything, you've always been Madison, that doesn't change".

"Doesn't it"? She asked.

Jamie lifted Madison and sat her on the large marble sink, he brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her lightly.

"I know that it feels confusing, and like it's been a lie—and maybe it has, but this doesn't define you, you define you. Not two people who made decisions for you" he told her. "No matter what happens today, you will always be the woman that I love, that I am in love with. That's not going to change—so if you're in there, and you start to lose it just think of me, knowing I am going to love you no matter who you are".

Madison wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck and she kissed him. "Part of me wants to go in there and find out that I haven't lived my whole life, thinking I was one thing when I was something else altogether".

Jamie took her hand and said, "come on".

Madison let him guide her out of the bathroom and to the large, full-length mirror in the room. He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist—lying his chin on her shoulder. "Look," he told her. "I want you to look at yourself, I mean really look at yourself. What do you see"?

Madison looked, and naturally, the first thing she saw was Jamie. He was hard to miss, but she fought and she pulled her eyes up—on to herself. She saw her dark chocolate eyes, the small curve in her nose, and her full lips—but it was her skin, that she looked at the most. It was a perfect blend of caramel and almond, she was the perfect mix of light and dark.

"Do you look like the daughter of a Frenchwoman and a man from Spain"? Jamie asked brushing his hand down her cheek.

Madison turned around to face him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I'm not their daughter am I"? She asked, burying her head into his bare chest.

"No, baby—you're not," Jamie said, playing with a loose curl bouncing from her scalp. "I think you have seen that for a long time—before you ever knew about this, but you didn't want to see it. I remember the man who claimed to be your dad, he wasn't dark at all—and your mom, hell she was whiter than I am. I never saw a resemblance between you and them, I used to think maybe you were adopted, but knowing what I know now—it's something else".

"So, I came all this way for what? For nothing" Madison said walking away and bouncing down on to his bed. "I risked everything, including my custody arrangement with Brooke to come here".

"Because you're right—you deserve to know everything there is to know about yourself," Jamie told her. "Where you're from, you need to know what box to check when you're filling out a job application, you need to know what to tell your kids one day—".

"Our kids".

Jamie looked up. "What"?

"You said your—as in, mine, they will be our kids—right"?

Jamie walked over to the bed, one step slower than the other, and sat down next to her—turning to face her. Perhaps he was stalling, perhaps he was just nervous, but he pushed her hair out of her face, and counted to twenty—in his head.

"You have talked about this big family we are going to have since our first kiss," he said, his voice rattling, and shaky. "What happens if we can't"?

"You don't want kids"?

Jamie looked down, and took her hand, lifted it—and pressed his lips to the back. "I never thought about it," he said, his voice cracking as he spoke. "I'm just sixteen—I know I want you for the rest of my life but being a dad, I never thought about it until I was sitting in a doctor's office being told that I couldn't, that I wouldn't ever".

When Jamie looked up, Madison slid across the bed, filling the space between them—wiping the small tears that had fallen out of his eyes.

"I know now isn't the best time to bring it up— but I can't get mad you for lying to me when I have been lying to you—or hiding something from you. Not telling you something" he said.

"Jamie—".

"I can never have kids," he said. "It's a long way away but I will never be able to get you pregnant".

"Why didn't you tell me"? She asked, stroking the side of his face.

He shrugged. "I was scared, I can't—I can't even begin to picture my life without you and—".

"You don't think I would leave you over that, do you"?

"No, not now anyways—but in ten years? When you're wanting all these kids we have talked about—that I can't give you"? He asked.

Maddie smiled. "Science is thriving now more than it ever has, there are ways," she said. "There is surrogacy, medicine, surgeries—and if we don't like any of those options, then we can always adopt. We could find a child who needs a loving family and give them just that, I don't need you to promise me children—I need you. I would never leave you over a theoretical child, you are real—you're the love of my life. I don't want anyone else" she said wrapping her arms around him. "Ever".

* * *

"Brooke"? Haley asked, looking up to find her friend wandering the halls of the hotel, as she exited the lobby. "Are you okay"?

"Yes—no," Brooke said, avoiding the lie she was going to go with, but ultimately decided she just didn't have the time. "I need to find Madison, have you seen her"?

"Not this morning—Skills, Mouth" Haley said pointing to the two walking out of the elevator. "Have you seen Madison"?

The two glanced at each other as if neither knew what to say.

Because they didn't.

"Now is not the time," Brooke said, quickly. "Lucas is looking for her, Peyton and Jake—I need to find her".

"She was getting ready—in Jamie's room" Mouth said slowly, earning a side glare from Skills.

"Oh, my god" Haley said throwing her hands on her hips. "You can't be serious".

"We don't have time for that" Brooke told Haley as they walked towards the elevator. "This is important, more important than them having sex".

"Brooke, what's going on"? Haley asked as they stepped inside the elevator.

"My lawyer just called with good news and bad," she said pressing the number six on the elevator and the doors slowly shut. "He was able to get us a meeting or whatever you want to call it with the mom, or whoever".

"That's the good news I suppose"?

Brooke nodded.

"Then what's the bad"?

"Someone, I don't know who, reported Madison—out of North Carolina, and it wasn't reported by me," Brooke said, her hands shaking nervously. "She is in the foster care system—".

"Brooke" Haley said taking her friend's hands.

"They are taking her," Brooke said, crying. "They want to take her, and I have twenty-four hours to get her back to Tree Hill—I don't know what to do".

* * *

**_The story of my life  
I take her home  
I drive all night  
To keep her warm and time  
Is frozen_**

**_The story of my life, I give her hope (give her hope)  
I spend her love until she's broken inside  
The story of my life (the story of, the story of)_**

* * *

Author's**_ note: so there you have it!_**

**_What caused Jamie & Madison to be standing at an alter... getting married? Will they go through with it?_**

**_On a serious note, this chapter was probably my most fun to write. As a write we love to peel back layers, and with every couple "scene" or "moment", I tried to keep keep discussing the heavy stuff while still trying to make it fun, and sexy._**

**_I feel like maybe along the way some people have gotten confused about Madison, so just in case I'm going to lay this out the best that I can. The people she lived in Tree Hill with before Lauren raised her was a woman from France, and a man from Spain (they story will be revealed), when they "leave" is where it gets kind of confusing. She has believed those people to be her parents her entire life, & has believed her heritage to have come from them, & their home. (France & Spain)._**

**_You probably remember in earlier chapters Jamie referring to her as a "Latino", of course coming from Spain she wouldn't be, but it was an ongoing bit from him, because she looked more like a Latino than a Spaniard, which believe it or not a lot of people can't tell the difference._**

**_You will find out her true heritage soon!_**

**_I tried my hardest when writing Naley, to not make Nathan sound like a total ass but anyone would panic after having two kids ninety percent raised and turn around to do it with two more... or is there more than one baby? Is there only one? They won't know for a few more chapters._**

**_But, it is something they are dealing with. Each in their own way. I did laugh though writing the "this is Sparta" mainly because I visualized it, and I never laugh at my own writing. I actually had to remove a section of this chapter that was a Nathan/Lucas because I worried that the chapter was too long, but a lot of changes and struggles are coming their way (not in their relationship, I could never harm Naley)._**

**_My Brucas heart is so happy I have finally reached this portion of the story, but at the same time I want to stay true to Brooke's character. From her first episode to her last there was so much growth, I love writing for her & Lucas, and to be clear she isn't self conscious about her body, but there is an underlying issue. (Another section cut because the chapter was exceeding 20,000 words)_**

**_I love, love, love Hilario Burton, but Peyton was never my favorite actor and it really shows in writing. I only keep her in this story for those who did love her, so in her section I used that._**

**_This chapter (like I said was split into two) would have been extremely long, but is that what you prefer? Or do you like chapters like this, or shorter?_**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you all for reading!_**


	26. Chapter 26

**_I'm back with a new chapter, and if you're strictly into just reading about the OG's, the parents, this chapter is probably not for you._**

**_This chapter, while has some of the adults in it, it has more of the teenagers, and everything pretty much revolves around Madison, and her storyline._**

**_Do not read any further if you don't like any type of criminal activity, etc. It is in this chapter, both being committed & having been committed. It's really no different than what Dan did but, moving forward if that makes you uncomfortable in anyway then you should just skip this._**

* * *

_The sun had set and the stars hung high over a small town in Southern Texas, in the middle of town was a chapel where thousands of couples had exchanged vows over the years._

_Haley felt a heavy leather against the feel of her skin, and glanced back, as her husband laid wrapped his jacket around his wife._

_Even Texas had a small chill at night._

_Instead of getting married inside the chapel, Madison and Jamie took the option of getting married outside._

_Haley wanted to complain due to the small chill she felt, but she couldn't—it was beautiful._

_In the midst of a large garden was a fountain, that lit the darkened path up perfectly, and the sound of the water flowing was both calming and serene._

_"With this ring, I thee wed"._

_Haley rested her back against her husband, even though her son's voice was soft and peaceful it rang in her ears, ever so loudly._

_She held her breath and watched as Jamie slid the ring on to Madison's finger, her legs trembled and her body ached, but she smiled._

_It was such a bittersweet moment for the mother, it was both heartbreaking and joyous._

_"With this ring, I thee wed"._

_And Haley watched as Madison repeated the same action, sliding the ring up Jamie's finger on his left hand._

_There was something oddly both settling and unsettling about watching the little girl she had watched grow up, put a ring on her son's finger. She couldn't believe how different it was viewing Jamie give Madison hers, and Madison give Jamie his._

_The ring on her son's finger sent a numbness down her body and formed a knot in her stomach._

_But, still—she smiled._

* * *

**11:00 AM**

Brooke had zero tolerance and zero patience, it was one of the dreadful things you grew to love about her. But, at this precise moment, she had to exercise both. She had to remain calm and tolerant, which was no easy task for her to pull of but she had to—for two people because Madison was neither right now.

In fact, Madison was nervous enough for the two of them, and her patience was getting shorter and shorter by every passing second spent in the room, the empty room.

It wasn't a big room, and it wasn't a small room—it wasn't just right either, this wasn't the three little bears, it was something else altogether. The walls were white, or at least they looked like they used to be, and the floor was a shade of grey that Brooke never knew existed, and she designed clothes for a living—she worked with colors almost every other day.

Brooke looked back at Madison, who walked back and forth—as she had been doing for the twenty minutes the girls had been inside the room, that deeply resembled a hole in the ground. She told her foster daughter to sit, multiple times, but nothing she said or offered stopped the sixteen-year old's legs.

"You're going to burn a hole in the ground".

Madison ceased all movements, briefly, as she turned to look at Brooke, who sat in a small relatively uncomfortable looking chair at the table in the middle of the room.

She wanted to join Brooke in the chair next to her, she really did, but the jitters flowing through her body made it damn near impossible. She couldn't.

"What's taking them so long"? Madison asked as she resumed her pacing, glancing up at the clock—behind two bars that sealed it to the wall.

"It's a prison Madison, not a Starbucks".

Truer words had never been spoken.

Madison could feel her mind, her emotions, and every ounce of her being pulling her in a thousand different directions.

It felt wrong, being here when the consequences at this point were no longer effecting just her. She could handle anything thrown her way, but she couldn't handle something happening to Brooke, because of her and her selfish needs.

"Are you sure this is a good idea"? Madison blurred out. "They gave us twenty-four hours—".

"Maddie, what do you think is going to happen when we return to Tree Hill"? Brooke asked around to face her, and she was shocked that for the first time Madison stopped moving, she stopped walking.

"They are going to take me—to New Jersey, or wherever the hell".

"They will take you as far away as they can," Brooke said. "This is officially our only hope to make sure you aren't taken away".

"But, what about you"? Madison asked. "They said that you can face jail time".

"I have been handling myself a lot longer than you have, I will be fine," Brooke said. "It is a four-hour flight and we have a private jet, you came all the way over here for answers, and now we need them—more than ever, so it's time to see this thing through".

Madison inhaled, deeply.

Brooke—she was right, and the sixteen-year-old knew that. She knew that if she wanted to stay in Tree Hill with her foster mother, with Jamie she had to do what she set out to do three days prior.

Madison knew that talking about it and living it would be two totally different realities, but she never anticipated this—this feeling that had overcome her from the second she walked through the gates.

The nerves, the nausea—everything.

Madison was sure she would pass out, so she did everything to think of anything else—but being trapped behind the walls of a prison made it a hell of a lot harder than she would have liked. She thought of all the ways this could go wrong, and but when she thought of all the ways this could right, her young mind failed to come up with one scenario, there had to be one.

Just one, at least.

"What's the point of that"? Madison asked, pointing to the clock, in an attempt to free her fragile mind from breaking like glass.

Brooke looked up. "Maybe it killed the batteries"?

Madison stopped pacing and turned on her heel, looking back at Brooke. "You just can't help yourself, can you"?

Brooke sat back in her chair, shifting as her posture melted into the stainless steel. "I'm either going to make inappropriate jokes, or I'm going to get sick—and there is only one trash can in here, which would you prefer"?

It was bad joke, a horrible joke at that.

Madison thought it might just the place or bad timing, or the fact that Brooke had a horrible and unethical sense of humor, which the fashion mogul would blame on the years she had spent with Peyton. But, the sixteen-year-old smiled, and then she laughed, not because she found humor in it, she didn't, but because out all the ways she could respond to the many emotions she was feeling, that was the one that rose to the surface.

Brooke had done the impossible—she cured her nerves, at least for a second.

Madison rolled, the sound of her laughter bouncing off the thick walls, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to stop.

Until she did.

The tears from laughing to manically continued to fall, but the sound coming out of her mouth changed rapidly to a heart-wrenching sob.

Brooke rushed across the room to Madison and wrapped her arms around the teenager. "It's going to be okay, you're okay".

"I don't feel okay," Madison said, her voice low and unsteady.

Before Brooke had the chance to respond the two girls jumped at the sound of a set of keys jiggling, and the knob on the large white door rattled.

Madison looked up, fire coursing through her veins as she waited for the door to open, but she didn't have time to wait or react. She felt Brooke pull her by her wrist and stand in front of her.

Brooke knew they were safe, despite being in a prison, she knew that no one could just freely walk into the room, but still, she jumped in front of Madison, as though they could. Maybe it was just instinct—to protect her, whatever it was that she was feeling she acted on it, keeping Madison as safe as she knew how.

When the door opened the Guard that escorted them earlier walked in with a woman, the woman couldn't have been much older than Brooke was it not younger. But, she wasn't going to talk about that. The woman in the jumpsuit had light hair—but it wasn't blonde, her skin was pale, and the fashion designer couldn't help but notice that Orange wasn't her best color.

The woman looked at the two girls from across the room, if she was confused or scared no one could tell, her face was unbothered, unmoved. She showed no emotion, she sat down at the table, across from where Brooke had been sitting previously. The girls watched as the guard locked the cuffs on her hand, to the table.

Brooke looked up at the man in uniform "thank you".

The man simply nodded as he walked over and shut the door, standing directly in front of the door.

"Does he gave to be here"? Madison whispered to Brooke.

She nodded. "It's policy" she whispered back. "Is this—is she—"?

"It's her," Madison said clenching her foster mother's hand, tightly.

"Qui êtes - vous"?

The sound of the woman's voice startled Brooke, she jumped when she spoke. She blamed the hovering silence.

"That's—that is French, right"? Brooke whispered looking at Madison.

Madison nodded. "At leas that part wasn't a lie".

"You speak French, right"? Brooke asked.

Madison nodded once again, but this time no more words fell out of her mouth.

"What did she say"?

"She wants to know who we are," Madison told her. "And she didn't ask nicely".

"That much I got," Brooke said, recalling the frigid and hostile tone coming from the woman.

Brooke led Madison across the room to the table, and they both sat down from across the table from the woman. As they did, Brooke never let go of Madison's hand, either she didn't want to or she was scared to, whichever it was, it kept Madison's jitter's at bay.

"Go ahead," Brooke told Madison, knowing she would have to give her the nudge.

* * *

**11:30**

"And you, my game challenged friend can eat my dirt—literally," Andre said, with the controller held tightly in his hand.

Chuck groaned as once again his long time best friend continued to beat him, at whatever game they were playing that echoed through the large hotel room.

Lily rolled her eyes—flipping through a magazine but couldn't help but notice Lucy, who was actually paying attention to the two boys.

"So, how do you know who wins"? Lucy asked pointing at the screen.

"Well—that's how," Andre said pointing at the screen, as it lit up.

Lily tossed her magazine to the side and looked up, and she scoffed. "I can't believe we are getting to skip school, but we aren't allowed to leave the hotel".

"Poor little rich girl," Chuck said laughing. "Are you mad because you're stuck in a five-star hotel with room service or are you upset because you're a thousand miles from home in a big city"?

"If you don't shut up you're going to be really upset when you don't have sex for a month".

"Ouch," Andre said, and he laughed, knowing Chuck wouldn't say another word about the matter.

Lily got up off the bed and walked over to the window, looking out into the city—jealous of everyone walking around outside.

But, just for a second.

Lily turned around at the sound of the door opening and seen Jamie walk in, but he didn't walk past the threshold. He stood there, twisting the knob nervously.

"Can I talk to you two for a minute"? He asked.

"There are four of us, you're going to have to be a little specific" Lily told him.

"Andre and Lily".

Andre and Lily shared a quick glance, but given the day's crucial circumstances, they both nodded.

"Here," Andre told Lucy handing her the controller. "Have you ever used one of these"?

"No"? She said.

"That's fine, Chuck could really use a self-esteem booster," Andre said shrugging as he handed it to her.

Chuck rolled his eyes, and mockingly laughed at Andre, though no one but Lucy noticed his immature behavior, as the other two left with Jamie.

"What's going on"? Lily asked as they followed him. "Have you heard from Madison"?

Jamie shook his head. "No, I'm going to go out there now".

"I thought only Brooke could".

"Only Brooke can go with her back there, I called, I can at least sit up there in case things go bad," Jamie told her as he opened the door to his hotel, and the two followed him in. "But, I need a favor—and it's for Maddie".

"Anything," Andre and Lily said instantly in unison.

The three heard the door click and Jamie pulled his wallet out and sniffed through it before pulling out a flashy credit card.

"While I'm gone I need you two to do a couple of things for me," he said holding the card up between his index finger and middle finger.

"You need us to go to Tiffany's"? Lily asked. "Gucci? Prada? Chanel—I've always wanted Chanel".

"You act like Luke doesn't have money," Jamie said.

"He has money, but he put me on a budget," she said rolling her eyes. "He is trying to raise me how mom raised him, which means I can either buy one expensive thing or a closet full of off the rack, you think he is going to buy me a Chanel handbag"?

Jamie nodded. "We pull this off today—and I will buy you all the Chanel you want".

Andre ignored the little jump Lily did and asked: "what are we doing"?

"My dad gave me full access to my bank account, the one my grandpa set up which means—".

"That's a multimillion-dollar credit card," Lily said clenching Andre's arm.

"Anyways," Jamie said ignoring Lily's overreaction. "He gave it to me before we left Tree Hill, I wanted to pay for the whole trip, and he let me. So, here is what I need from you two" he said walking over to the computer laid out on the table. "I need a lawyer, the best you can find".

"What for"? Andre asked, folding his arms.

"Does that matter"? Lily asked.

"Actually, it does—we need to know what field of practicing law we are looking for, criminal justice, divorce, there are many different fields" Andre explained.

"Brooke talked to her lawyer this morning, someone—I don't know who reported Madison," Jamie told them. "They reported her leaving the state, without permission—".

"What does that mean"? Lily asked, noticing the change in his tone.

"That means her custody arrangement with Brooke has been, we have twenty-four hours—less than that now, probably twenty-two, to get her back to Tree Hill and then they are going to take her off to God knows where".

"They can't do that"!

"Oh, my god".

"They can," Jamie told them. "They can and they will, which where you two come in. I'm not putting all my eggs in this basket with this woman she went to meet today, I need a lawyer".

"You just said Brooke has a lawyer," Andre said.

He nodded. "She does, and he is doing what he can but I think he a lawyer that oversees things, he handled Julian's will and discusses things with Brooke, things to that nature. I think he has been handling Madison's foster case as a favor, he has worked for Brooke forever, I need someone who is going to fight for Madison, that will turn over every rock to keep her in Tree Hill".

"And my boyfriend wants to go in on halfsies over a cup of coffee," Lily said rolling her eyes.

"They are wanting to take her out of the state," Jamie said as he sat down in the chair, stressfully running his fingers through his hair.

"How can they do that"? Lily asked. "If she is part of the foster system, that is run by the state, they shouldn't be able to take her to another state, another town maybe—but state"?

"It's the predicament with Lauren that gives them the authority to take her over state lines," Jamie said. "I need someone who can fight it".

"So, we need to get on google," Lily said. "Find the best lawyer".

"Yes and no" Jamie said looking up at his lifelong friend.

Andre knew from the second he locked eyes with Jamie, where the conversation was heading. "Are you kidding me"?

"You said you would do anything for Maddie," Jamie told him.

"And that still stands—but, this"?

"Someone tell me what's going on"? Lily asked.

Jamie and Andre didn't turn to answer her, they both continued to look at each other, neither one speaking.

"It's for Maddie," Jamie told him, standing up.

Andre sighed. "What do I need to hack"?

"Wait—what"? Lily asked. "Hack, as in—"?

"As in the highly illegal form of google" Andre told her, folding his arms.

"That my best friend happens to be incredibly talented in," Jamie said. "This is my computer, in my room—all in my name. Nothing can be traced back to you, I promise".

"Well, that's a relief, I'd hate for the FBI to show up at my house again," Andre told him.

"FBI"? Lily asked. "Again? What the hell"?

"So, I just need to find a lawyer, no one should see me sniffing around in their database, I can look around for lawyer's in the top five percent".

Jamie watched as Andre sat down and began typing. "Narrow it down to the top two percent, and there's more".

Lily watched as Andre's head dropped, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "When you're done with that, I need you to find everything you can on Madison—and this woman," he said pulling a piece of paper out his pocket.

Andre looked down. "I thought Madison's mom was named Elizabeth".

"Let's just assume it's an Alias," Jamie said. "That's her real name, or maybe it's another Alias, the point is I want everything you can find on her and everything you can find on Madison if this woman doesn't give her some sort of good piece of information—I want to be one step ahead".

Andre hesitated, initially, but this was Madison, and just like Jamie he would do anything. "You got it, man".

Jame handed his credit card to Lily. "Here, find the lawyer, if they need the private jet to get here, the number is next to the tv, but I want you to do the talking".

"Her"? Andre asked. "I'm breaking into the government database and she has to make a phone call"?

"If they can talk on the phone with Lily for more than five minutes, they don't scare easily," Jamie told them as he walked to the door. "Keep me in the loop".

Lily turned to face Andre and smiled holding the credit card up. "Do you think he would care if we ordered take out"?

Andre rolled his eyes. "I don't think he would notice".

"From every restaurant in a twenty mile radius"?

* * *

**12:45**

Madison wasn't sure how much time had passed, she wasn't sure how long she had been sitting in the seat—through the numbing sensation coursing through her backside was a good indication of length.

The room was quiet, the officer in the corner didn't speak, and neither did Brooke—or the woman Madison grew up believing that she was her mother. This was her, and she wasn't dreaming—it felt more of a nightmare than anything, but after all these years, here she was.

"Do you recognize me"?

Madison felt the words fall out of her mouth, but as they did her stomach drop and her heart pound.

"Je, Je te connais"?

It was a relief that everything hadn't been a lie, that there had been some truth to Madison's life, even if that truth was hidden by a lie.

"Je m'appelle Madison Landry, Je suis de Tree Hill, caroline du nord, vous me reconnaissez maintenant".

Madison was fluent in many languages—French sat at the top of that list nestled snuggly between Spanish and German, but as she spoke she stuttered. She found something simple to come with great difficulty.

The woman didn't respond, a minute or two passed, and no one said anything.

Madison finally gathered her courage and when she looked up, she looked directly into her eyes, her dark eyes.

From the second she locked eyes with the woman, it was like someone opened the floodgates to her memories. Madison remembered her, but now she could remember every little detail, down to the bedtime stories she used to read. And it hurt, it was the most painful heartbreak of her entire life, everything inside her ached and throbbed.

"Madeline"? She asked her accent heavy on her lips, reaching out to take her hand—in what little lean way the cuffs around her gave.

Madison jerked her hand away, instantly. "Don't" she whispered, her voice aching. "Why did you call me, Madeline? It's Madison—or is Madeline? Are you right? Or do you even know"?

"Je sais à quel point tu es énervé" the woman began.

Brooke had enough and her patience wore out, it honestly surprised Madison that she had lasted this long. She shook her head and pounded her knuckles against the table interrupting the woman across from her. "Inglés or Anglais," she said. "English" she demanded. "If you can understand her, and I'm assuming you can because you knew what she said, I can tell by your face in case you are curious. So, we can talk in English, the three of us, I know very few words in French—most of which are dirty, but if you can speak English then do so".

"She can speak English" the guard informed them from the corner, without glancing up.

The woman looked over her shoulder, a furious scowl directed at him, though it didn't seem to bother the man in uniform.

"What's your name—your real name"? Brooke asked.

Madison looked at Brooke, confused—as they knew her name, her real name in fact. They had to, to come inside the prison.

But, then it occurred to Madison, Brooke might have been testing her, so she waited.

The woman leaned back "Emeline—Emeline Caballero" she said. "Or would you like the name I wore before I married my husband"?

"No," Brooke said. "That will do".

"Where did Landry come from, Elizabeth Landry"?

Emeline shrugged. "I always loved Elizabeth, like the queen," she said. "Landry was my father's mother's name before she wed my grandfather".

Madison could hear Brooke asking Emeline question after question, relevant or not, but she couldn't make out anything that was said. Everything around her became distorted. She could only describe it as the slow-motion scene in a movie, gradually everything around her decelerated.

She looked up, and though Brooke was right next to her, she couldn't entirely make out what she said.

All Madison could do was feel, feel her heart shatter and feel the pain in her chest—

"Are you my mother"?

Everyone stopped what they were doing, all conversation halted at the outburst, and the suffering Madison was feeling soaked out of her body through her aching tone.

Madison assumed she knew, but perhaps she needed to hear it—out loud.

Maybe Brooke already asked, and she missed it.

It didn't matter.

Nothing else mattered.

Emeline wanted to reach for her hand, Madison could see it, but she didn't. "No, not by blood," she said, lightly.

"So, not at all"? Brooke asked.

"But, I loved you as though you were my own" Emeline said, ignoring Brooke's comment, which was no easy task. "I loved you as though you were my own Fille, I loved you since you were a Bébé. I was there when you were Né, born. I was the first to hold you".

"My whole life, my entire life I thought I was part French and Spanish, I thought I come from this Frenchwoman and a man from Spain. Why would I"? Madison asked. "You drilled the languages into me as though it were life or death. I was a child, and you lied to me"!

Emeline shook her head, profusely. "No, mon amour, we never lied to you, your papa and I—we never lied. That is where we are from, he comes from Spain and I come from France, that is no lie".

"Is he—your husband, is he my father"?

Emeline looked down, and once again shook her head.

"Then don't call him my father," Madison said.

"I'm Désolé, my apologies," she said.

"Wait—you said you were there when I was born," Madison said. "Is that true"?

"Yes, mon amour, I held you first," she said.

"Then if you're not my mother, who the hell are you? Who the hell is she? What the hell happened"?

"How many Hell's can you fit into one paragraph"? Brooke whispered.

"You remind me of her, your Mère" Emeline said. "Nina was—feisty, had a tongue and temper for days, but she was a Scorpio so perhaps that's where it came from".

"Nina"? Madison asked.

"But, you look like Nik, your father, your real papa, especially around the eyes—it's like I am looking right at him".

Madison looked up, and when she saw her—Emeline, she couldn't breathe, let alone think. Everything around her began to spin again, this time faster, and it wouldn't slow down, and it wasn't going to either.

She jumped up out of her seat, and left the room, as quickly as she could.

The second she entered the hall, leaving Brooke and Emeline behind, she finally could breathe again.

"Maddie".

She turned around and Brooke was walking to her, taking her steps slow and steady.

"Please—don't ask me if I'm okay," Madison said.

"I didn't, the answer to that is pretty visual," Brooke said walking to her.

"I'll be fine" Madison lied. "I just can't—I can't be in there, please? Can you do it, can you talk to her and find out where my parents are? Or if they're alive? Or whatever happened".

Brooke nodded, running her fingers down Madison's long hair.

"She started telling me how I looked like them, and I couldn't—I couldn't hear it from her, she has no right to tell me I act like my mother or that I look, my father, I can't".

Brooke wrapped her arms around Madison and held the back of Madison's head in the palm of her hand. "It's okay, I will talk to her—just go to the front where we came in at, I will be there when I can".

Madison nodded and stepped out of Brooke's embrace.

Step by step, each one slower than the last she found her way through the hall, every heartbeat aching more than the last.

Madison didn't think she was ever going to make it to the front of the building, but then she did—

"Jamie"?

Her boyfriend looked up as he sat in one of the seats lined up around the wall, and he jumped to his feet the second he saw her.

Madison melted, proceeded to break down in his arms.

But, out of everyone in the world—this was precisely who she needed.

* * *

**1:00 PM**

Brooke waited, and she watched as Madison made her way to the end of the hall, and through the door—just to make certain that she made it.

She took a deep breath, inhaling all that air that could physically fill her lungs before she opened the door and stepped back inside.

Emeline still sat there, not that she had much of choice, not that she could go anywhere, but she looked up—and for the first time her facial expression changed. She looked surprised, shocked as Brooke made her way back to the table and sat down.

"Madeline"? Emeline asked looking around her, watching the door close. "Where is she"?

"First, it's Madison" Brooke informed her. "Or Maddie, but you don't know her well enough to call her that. And second, you will be speaking to me now, she won't be joining us—by her own choice, she found it too difficult".

"I completely understand".

"Do you"? Brooke snapped. "Do you even have the slightest clue what that girl is going through her mind? What you have put her through? I got the mother from hell, and you make her look like an angel"!

"Everyone's journey to motherhood is different, challenging yet rewarding".

"Oh, my god—you're delusional, you're not her mother".

"I am," Emeline said. "I might not have given birth to her, but I am by law".

Brooke was ready with a witty, and snide comeback, but once she heard the words Emeline said, she froze, still as a statue.

"What—what do you mean, by law"? Brooke asked.

Perhaps Emeline noticed the shift in Brooke's attitude, but she shifted in her seat looking oddly across the table. "Why is that important"?

"Why don't you tell me what you meant"?

"I never did ask, what's is the reason for your visit, of this visit"? Emeline asked.

Brooke groaned, as silently as she could. "Does that really matter"?

"The timing is a bit—off," she said. "My capital punishment is being served out by the end of the week, and today—Madeline and you show up, to chat? I don't think so, I believe I could have understood if she just wanted to get her feelings off her chest but, considering she left the room and is not returning, I don't believe that to be the case—so, what is it you need from me"?

"What makes you assume I need something from you"? Brooke asked, interlacing her fingers.

"I haven't had a visitor in all the years I have been here—".

"Short friends list"?

Emeline scoffed. "After my trial, it was court ordered that no one visit myself or my husband—and you got around that"? She asked.

"It was nothing more than a few calls," Brooke said. "I used to design clothes for the governor's wife".

Damn it.

Brooke couldn't believe she let that one slip out.

But, with that Emeline smiled, almost giddy, an emotion Brooke had presumed she was incapable of. "You didn't just come here to find her parents, you need to—don't you"?

"She deserves to know who her mother and her father are," Brooke said. "So, who are they"?

Emeline sat back in her seat. "I'll tell you anything you want to know".

"Then let's start with—".

"If you can get me out of here".

Brooke looked up and she blinked, twice as she took in the information. At some point in her life, Brooke had heard the term dumbstruck, she was sure it was in a town quite like this, and it was the only thing to describe her reaction.

"You' re—blackmailing me"? Brooke asked.

Emeline shrugged. "No, you help me I help you".

"You were given the death penalty," Brooke said, as though she needed reminding. "You had your day in court—do you really think there is a lawyer alive that can get you out of this, or that I would help you for that matter? If you did something heinous enough to end up in here then chances are you're beyond help—excuse me".

Brooke got up and stormed out of the room, she couldn't believe this was happening. This was their last chance, their last shot, and their only hope was less than a one percent chance in a million, not that she would help her out anyways.

Why would she?

How could she? How could she simply help a woman who was so vile to end up here, of all places, get free? She couldn't—she wouldn't.

Brooke pushed the door open at the end of the hall to find Madison and Jamie sitting in a corner, in the small check-in area.

"What did she tell you"? Madison asked jumping to her feet, with Jamie not far behind her. "Good news? Bad"?

"She said she will tell me anything I want," Brooke told her slowly.

"Oh, my gosh—"

"If I get her free".

Madison's face would have hit the floor if it had dropped much more, and Brooke hated being the one to crush her insides.

"That's not an option," Jamie said.

Brooke nodded. "That's where I'm at with it," she said. "But, I don't know what to do".

"I'm going to have to move," Madison said slowly, clutching her stomach. "Tree Hill is all I have ever known".

"And it's all you're ever going to know," Jamie said.

"How can you promise that"?

"Lucky for you, your boyfriend had a plan B from the second you left this morning," Jamie said rubbing her back, softly. "Is she talking to you"? He asked, looking up at his godmother.

Brooke thought about it for a second but said "yes" after a passing minute. "Once she put two and two together that we needed something she hasn't shut up".

"Then go in there and lie to her," Jamie said. "Make her think you're calling a lawyer".

"How is playing a game of pretend going to help right now"?

"Because the more she talks the more information she might give you, without realizing it—trust me," Jamie said. "I'll have someone up here with you soon, we are going back to the hotel, I'll text you".

Brooke watched as the teenagers walked towards the door, Madison was just as confused as Brooke was, but decided to trust her boyfriend.

"This is going to be the one time my mouth has nothing to say," Brooke told herself as she began to find her way back to the holding room.

* * *

**2:45 Pm**

Madison hadn't let go of Jamie's hand since they left the prison, which was something she never thought she'd say, except she didn't say it—that was the only good news about this day.

She clenched Jamie's hand tightly, in an attempt to keep up with him better, but he just walked faster with every turn. He was rushing, and she had no idea why, but whatever it was didn't give him the patience to wait around for an elevator, so the two climbed the stairs, the sound Madison's heel's made when they hit the floor beneath her echoing through the stairwell.

Madison was curious about what was happening, and what—just what Jamie could have up his sleeve? It had to be something, big, everything about Jamie was big—and if she wasn't out of breath from climbing the stairs she would make a dirty joke but the amount of oxygen she was currently loosing was overpowering her will to think freely.

The second to the last floor and Jamie pulled the door open, leading his girlfriend through the hall.

"Do you care to tell me what's going on"? Madison asked, her breaths heavy and uncontrollable. "And why it didn't call for us taking the elevator"?

"Two reasons," Jamie said as he kept walking, at a pace faster than Madison, causing his girlfriend to have to jog. "One is I still haven't got over our little incident at the hospital if I wasn't terrified of small spaces then—I am now. Second is there were seven other people waiting—they all could have been going to the same floor or different, either way, we shaved off a couple of seconds to get up here".

"And a few years off my life" Madison commented and let out a long sigh of relief as they finally came to an abrupt stop.

Jamie chuckled at Madison as he slid the key in before opening the door to his hotel room, the two walked in—and Madison stopped for a split second when she saw Andre sitting at the computer and Lily on the phone—writing something on a piece of paper.

"What the hell is going on"? Madison asked.

"I built my own police force" Jamie joked as he walked over to Andre.

"That was your lawyer," Lily said as she hung up the phone. "And after speaking to six, I'm confident in that one".

"What's their name"?

"Johnathan Beckham".

"Like the soccer player"? Andre asked.

"I don't know," Lily said. "Basketball is all I know, and I barely know that—I just happen to be good at it".

"What have you found out"? Jamie asked Andre as he took his jacket off and tossed it on to the bed.

Before Andre had the chance to answer there was a knock at the door, all four of them looked back and forth between each other—but ultimately Jamie walked towards the door, slowly, before opening it even slower.

"Oh, my god" Jamie said letting out a sigh of relief. "I thought you were the police".

Nathan and Haley looked at each other and then back at their son.

"That begs the question—what the hell is going on in here"? Nathan asked looking around his son's shoulder, into the room.

Jamie held the door open for his parents and they stepped through, walking into the room, as their son shut the door behind them.

"Andre," Jamie said walking over to his best friend. "Continue".

"Well, the woman—Emeline Caballero, born Emeline Dion, from what I can gather about her family she had a slightly normal upbringing, her immigrate papers show she moved from France to America in nineteen ninety-six, with her mother shortly after she turned sixteen. Everything is legal, her papers—everything, she is a United States Citizen".

"What else"?

"Emeline inherited her mother's business after her mom died when she was twenty-one, it was a vineyard down in Texas Hill Country, from the sales I have found it used to thrive".

"How are you finding all this out"? Haley asked looking at Andre.

"If I tell you—you might become an accomplice, so let's just say my talents," he said.

"Oh, my god—that's why you thought it was the police," Haley said pointing at Jamie. "Andre you have already been in trouble for hacking in the past, I don't think the FBI gives you more than one warning".

"Normally they don't give any" Nathan said. "But, he was too young for prison".

"Relax," Jamie said. "He is using my computer".

Haley's eyes widen and her mouth dropped. "Well, that makes me feel tons better—no let's shut this down, right now".

"No".

"Excuse me"? Haley asked her hands on her hips looking at her son.

"I don't mean any disrespect mom, but no," he said. "This woman isn't talking until Brooke gets her out of the prison".

"That's not an option," Nathan said immediately.

"I'm aware, but she won't talk without that, but I have a plan".

"You"? Nathan asked. "The sixteen-year-old? What exactly is your plan"?

Jamie looked up at him. "I told Brooke to keep talking to her, make her think that she has a lawyer coming to see her, just keep her talking long enough for us to use this information to find Maddie's parents, with Andre we could".

"That's—actually that's not a bad idea" Nathan admitted.

"Why does everyone always doubt me"? Jamie asked. "And with my lawyer—".

"Your what"? Haley asked.

"I got a lawyer because if we aren't able to track down her parents we need to fight for Maddie to stay in Tree Hill".

Nathan looked and Haley, and said: "We have stepped into a crime scene".

Jamie waved his parent's reactions off. "What else do you know about her"?

"She married a man named Santiago, when she was twenty, I mean—after age twenty-five there is nothing until she was arrested with her husband," Andre said.

"That must have been when she became Mrs. Landry," Madison said rolling her eyes.

"Going off of this, I don't see how I can find Maddie's parents".

"Okay," Jamie said taking Maddie's hand and leading her to the bed sitting them down. "I know all of this is hard, but did she say anything to you—anything about your parents, at all"?

Madison looked around and everyone, but Jamie brought her face back—to look at his. She wanted to smile, but she couldn't.

"Nina—and Nik, that's what she called my parents," Madison said. "I don't know—if that helps any".

The sound of Andre typing filled the silence in the room, as Haley looked at Madison, or rather this broken version of the girl she once knew.

"Employees," Haley said, having a really hard time believing she was now apart of this. "If she filed taxes against the Vineyard then it was legal, look through the list of employees she had. Maid's, workers, cooks—whatever".

Andre nodded. "That's a good starting place".

"And Nina might be short for something, like Maddie," Haley told him. "Comb through anyone that set foot on her property".

"That's going to be hard," Andre said. "This Vineyard was almost five hundred acres, in eight years they went through hundreds of employees, including the families of everyone that worked here—it looks like they hosted a thanksgiving and Christmas dinner's for their employees every year, thousands were on the property".

"Scorpio," Madison said. "She said my mom was a Scorpio".

"That helps," Andre said. "Narrowing search by birthday's between October twenty-second through November twenty-first".

"Race" Madison said. "Or ethnicity, look for someone with a Hispanic background, of some sort".

Andre looked back at her, and though her voice was shallow and quiet he heard her. After a long minute, he stopped typing and looked across the room at Madison. "I think—I think I'm producing this right, Ximena Vasquez".

"Who is she"? Madison asked, holding Jamie's hand tightly.

"She was a maid's daughter," he said slowly. "The maid—Adelita, came to America from Mexico when she was twenty, she married a United States born man but his family was from— Puerto Rico, they had one daughter Ximena, she was born in America, there was an interview from a magazine about the Vineyard, they interviewed all of the employees, Adelita talked about what great people they were and how they let her bring her daughter to work. She mentioned how Ximena was very close to the owner's daughter, it says they are practically best friends".

Madison covered her mouth. "She said she was there when I was born, she held me first".

"She gave birth to a baby girl," Andre said slowly. "In the summer of 2004, with her boyfriend, turned husband—Nikolás García, who was from Havana".

"As in Cuba"? Lily asked walking over to look into the computer.

"Where else would it be"? Jamie asked her.

Lily shrugged. "Georgia"?

"That's Savanna," Haley said pinching the bridge of her nose.

"What happened"? Madison asked standing up. "What was her name"?

"Isabellà," Andre said. "Isabellà Madeline Adelita Vasquez García".

"Say that three times fast," Lily said as she hovered over Andre. "Madeline doesn't exactly fit in—in that sentence of a name".

"No, but that's what she kept calling me at the prison" Madison said. "If they actually were close she might have given me a name if she was my godmother or something".

"Isabellà lived with her parents, up until she turned two—then there is no more record of her. No shots, nothing. She just disappeared—around the same time Emeline did".

"Is it—is it me"? Madison asked, trembling.

Andre glanced up at Lily before clicking one button. "These were her parents—".

"Maddie, you look just like Isabellà's father," Lily said as she looked at the government picture of him on the small screen.

"That's what Emeline said," Madison said. "That I looked like my father".

Andre turned the laptop around and Madison gasped, she could feel Jamie's hand on her lower back—for comfort probably, but there they were.

"That's them—that's my parents," she said tears falling from her eyes. "Where are they now"?

Andre turned the laptop back around to face himself and began typing. "Nik—your father, he moved back to Cuba, hold on. Oh, my god".

"What"? Madison shrieked.

Andre looked at Jamie, and his best friend got up and walked around the table, looking down at the screen. It became obvious, that he didn't want to say what he was reading.

Jamie looked up at Madison, and he knew he was going to be the one to break her heart.

* * *

**3:15 PM**

Madison had to get away, although she didn't know from what but she had to put as much space between her and what was on that computer as possible.

It didn't take her long to realize she was running from her own thoughts—her own mind, her own pain, the soul-crushing feeling that was damn near paralyzing. She ran as if she could outrun her emotions as if she put in enough steps that everything would disappear, but it didn't.

Madison was smart, you could even say she was intelligent, so it didn't make any sense why—why she would believe that she could outrun everything twisting around in her own mind, especially in these heels.

"Maddie".

The sound of Haley's voice bouncing off the walls, echoing down the large stairwell is what brought her out of her own head. She wasn't even sure how she got here, or why after complaining that Jamie made her take the steps that she had chose to make her way down the stairs.

Madison stopped, turning around to find Jamie's mom catching up with her when she caught a glimpse of herself in the window in the small pathway between floors thirteen and twelve. The mascara, that the saleswoman had promised was waterproof, had run violently down her face—which was red and swollen, she looked almost unrecognizable.

Once Haley realized she had stopped, she took each step slower, until she reached the teenager.

She wasn't entirely sure what made her take off after Madison, out of everyone in the room she wasn't sure why she knew that she was the best choice to find her. But, she knew that she had to.

"How is this happening"? Madison sobbed. "How is this real—any of it? Why didn't I think of this? Why did I come here, things were fine—I ruined everything".

"No, you didn't," Haley said placing her hand on Madison's arm. "You wanted to know about who you are and your parents—".

"Well, now I know" she cried. "I had these two wonderful parents who loved me and now I find out that one of them was killed, my mother was killed—by the woman she thought was her best friend, and I look like someone! I have never been told I look like anyone, but I look like my dad, I look like my papá—my name isn't even Madison or Madeline, it's Isabellà".

"Calm down, you need to breathe," Haley told her.

"Why did my dad leave"? Madison asked. "Why would he go back to Cuba"?

Haley took Madison's hand and held it between her own two. "It said in the report that he came home and he found Nina, your mom, and he didn't find you," Haley said, hearing the sound of her own voice cracking. "He looked for you—for years, and years before he went back—".

"So, he just gave up on me"?

"I don't think so," Haley said. "He probably got a thousand different phone calls where it might be you, and got his hopes up—a thousand different times, I don't think he ever gave up on you or ever will, I think his heart just couldn't take it anymore. We have his name—and we have Andre, the one who is going to send us all to jail—we will find him".

"How could they do this"? Madison asked as she lowered herself on to the last step before the small pathway, looking up at Haley. "How could they ruin my life like this"?

Haley sat down next to her and pushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear that had attached itself to her face holding on to her tear-soaked cheeks. "I wish I could answer that for you," Haley said. "Everyone is so happy about Keith, and of course they are, and Jamie made a comment about how technically now Dan isn't a murder, but he is. In my eyes he still is, he picked up a gun and aimed it at his brother, for years he thought his brother was dead and he tried to make his amends but how do you amend taking—robbing someone of their life? Which in the end he still did. Keith laid in a hospital bed for seventeen years. I can't explain why bad people do bad things, I wish I could—hell, if I'm wishing for things I wish bad people would stop doing bad things and I can't change what happened, I can't even pretend that I can make this pain you're feeling go away, but there is a silver lining—it's small but it's there".

"And what's that"?

"You know where you're from, for the first time in your life you know who you are—and you know you're not the daughter of a Frenchwoman and her husband from Spain," Haley said. "You know that you have grandparents from Mexico and Puerto Rico, your father is from Cuba—".

"Oh, god," Madison said sitting back against the railing. "You know this means Jamie was right, all these years he said I looked like a Latino not a—Spaniard, it was always a joke, until recently. But, now he was right, he was right before we even knew there was something to be right about—when all this is over you don't know the type of gloating I am in for".

"Oh," Haley said chuckling. "I think I do, neither of them would ever admit it—but Nathan and Jamie are just alike, not in every way but most".

"Really? I don't see that".

"Not now," Haley said. "I didn't get with Nathan until we were seventeen, but I knew of him when he was Jamie's age before we met he was a, what's the word I'm looking for—".

"Dick"? Madison guessed.

Haley nodded. "I guess that's the one," she said. "He was arrogant, cocky—".

"Are you sure you're not describing Jamie"? Madison asked smiling.

"Jamie is like Nathan in so many ways, but he is also like me," Haley told her. "Before I met Nathan he didn't have a care in the world, he would stand back and let everything burn around him before he would lift a finger—but Jamie has bent over backward, all for you. He has done everything within his power, legally and illegally" she said chuckling, though she wasn't sure if it came from her nerves or humor "just to stay close to you. You wanted to know who your family was, where you came from and he made damn sure you found out—that boy would move mountains for you".

Despite all the hurt and all the sorrow that surrounded this day, Madison smiled. "He did," she said.

"I have had trouble letting go of Jamie, him growing up and not needing me anymore," Haley said. "You two have been together, forever, but at some point, you stopped being these two little kids with a crush and entered this adult relationship, I don't mean sex. I mean you fell in love with each other, you had real fights and real makeups, and I had problems with it, at first but if I could sit down and design the perfect girl for my son to fall in love—she wouldn't even hold a candle to you".

Madison looked at Haley and felt her boyfriend's mother squeeze her hand.

"I couldn't agree more" the two heard and turned to see Jamie walking down the stairs.

Haley smiled, "I'll give you a moment".

Jamie stopped to the side allowing his mother access to find her way up the stairs, and out the door, before making his way to the spot Haley was sitting in.

"How are you"? Jamie asked cupping the side of her face.

Madison looked down. "I don't even know how to answer that".

Jamie leaned in and kissed her, softly, pressing his lips to hers—just for a second, before leaning out.

But, Madison clutched on to him—sinking their lips back together, he was the one thing she needed in this world right now. But, after a minute or longer, Jamie finally broke their kiss.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry about your mom".

Madison bit down on the inside of her lip and chewed on her flesh. "I am, too".

"I called Lucas, he was already on his way down there with Brooke—I gave him an update, so she should be caught up within the next—".

Before Jamie could finish the sentence the two heard the sound of footsteps, loud and quick, they both turned to see Lily coming around the corner from the set of stairs above them—Andre with her.

"We have news" Lily said as the two came to a stop.

"Good"? Jamie asked.

"Not exactly," Andre told him, leaning his hand against the wall.

"Bad"? Madison asked.

"Not exactly," Lily said twisting the phone in her hand. "I just spoke to your lawyer—his lawyer? Someone's lawyer".

Jamie stood up and reached for Madison's hand, helping her stand as he asked: "what did they say"?

"I called and told him about your parents—" Lily began.

"We made a judgment call to not thoroughly explain how we found all this information out," Andre said running his hands over his head.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we left a little minor—illegal, detail out," she said. "But, while I was speaking to him he went ahead and contacted missing person's—there is an office about forty-five minutes from here, he said maybe an hour depending on traffic".

"That's good news," Jamie said. "So, why do you look like that"?

"They close at four—it's three forty-five we would never make it before the end of the day," Andre said. "They have an emergency hotline, but it's just that, a hotline and this is emergent—but it's not an emergency".

"But—".

"Wait" Lily interrupted Madison before she could speak. "There's more".

"It's not just the place, it's the process," Andre said.

"Even if you got there, right now you wouldn't get the blood results back until tomorrow morning—maybe even Wednesday," Lily said.

Andre nodded. "Which still puts us in a problem—you have to be back to Tree Hill by tomorrow".

"Can't missing person's just call her dad"? Jamie asked. "I have a plane, I can send it to him".

"Well, that's the other problem—they have his number, on file—but per his request, they won't contact him until they get a match back," Lily said, softly looking at her best friend.

"Why not? If I'm here—".

"Maddie" Lily said walking down, placing her hand on her best friend's arm. "After the twenty-seventh time he went down there, driving minutes or hours, he requested it be done like this. As badly as you want to meet your father, and I know you do, you just realized—today that you have been missing, but for fourteen years he has lived in pain. He has got his hopes up and lost them over and over again, it's probably why he moved back to Cuba—but he stays in constant contact with the police and missing persons, Everyone. He has never given up on you, so just be patient for him".

"If it's him," Madison said her face falling.

"We're pretty sure it is," Jamie said rubbing her back.

"Pretty sure isn't a definite".

"No, but I gave their full names to Luke—he and Brooke are going to casually—not so casually bring them up and see what kind of reaction they get, that should tell us".

"Our very own Agent Hotchner," Lily said clasping her hand over her chest.

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Did he have any solutions what to do"? He asked looking at Lily and Andre.

"Everything with Lauren compromises a lot of things and Brooke is only your foster mother, technically she is your legal guardian but that's up pretty shortly," Andre said. "That doesn't leave us with a lot of options—even if you were to get emancipated you would need to go in front of a judge in North Carolina, which could take longer than the DNA test".

"So, Brooke can sign for her to get emancipated but not for long"? Jamie said shaking his head. "This is—my dad got emancipated".

"Yeah," Lily said. "So"?

"He got emancipated when he was seventeen—".

"Didn't his parents have to sign and he had to take it a judge and—"Lily began.

"Shut up," Jamie said. "I'm on a thought process—he was emancipated but my mom wasn't, and she is a few months younger than him".

"Where are you going with this"? Andre asked.

"Brooke is her legal guardian, which means if you wanted a tattoo or a piercing she could sign—she could even sign for you to get emancipated, but we don't have time" Jamie rambled. "We need a solution—by morning".

"And you have one"? Lily asked.

"If Brooke can sign for you to get emancipated—maybe she could sign for you to get married".

Madison turned her head in Jamie's direction so fast she was sure she would have whiplash for days, but she didn't. "What"?

"What"? Andre and Lily both screeched.

"What if we got married"? Jamie asked looking at Madison.

"Marriage isn't—it isn't a solution to a problem," Madison said looking at her boyfriend. "It's about love—".

"Lucky for you I happen to know a guy who's crazy about you," Jamie said leaning against the railing. "We were going to do it anyway, right? It just happens to be a solution to a problem right now".

"This has to be the worst proposal in the history of time," Lily said.

"Ignore her for a minute," Jamie said holding his large hand up in Lily's face. "I love you, more than anything—and if we can get my parents and Brooke on board, then what's the worst thing that could happen? I'm married to the woman I love, for the rest of our lives. We have been together more than half of our lives, you're my soul mate—I have known that since I was a kid with braces, you're it for me. If you can think of one good reason why we shouldn't, then I'm listening—but I can't think of any. When we go back to Tree Hill we don't ever have to worry about you having to move, we can be together—forever. It's a win-win, we were going to do it anyway—someday, so let's make someday now, what do you say? You want to be wife"?

Madison looked at him, for a long time, she knew what her answer was—she knew for the longest time that she wanted to marry him, one day. But, now one day was looking right in the eye, and in the midst of her life, despite all the chaos, this seemed the most normal thing to do.

"That was a little better," Lily said smiling.

Madison smiled. "Yeah, it was," she said.

"So"? Andre asked. "Are you two getting married or something"?

Jamie looked to Madison because she was the only one who could answer that.

* * *

**6:00 PM**

If wishing could make problems go away, the world would have been swallowed by world peace by Brooke. It had been the longest day, and none of her problems were over, in fact, she didn't even see the light at the end of the tunnel. But, she didn't—she felt like the tunnel was going to swallow her whole.

"How did it go"? Haley asked as Brooke and Lucas stepped inside the hotel suite that belonged to the longtime married couple.

Brooke didn't answer, instead, she walked over and began pouring herself a glass of the brownest liquor she could find.

"That bad"? Nathan asked.

Lucas tossed himself on to the sofa next to his brother. "It's her parents, we found out that much".

"How did you find that out"?

"Emeline was very cocky, until I brought up Maddie's parents' name, even after she was cocky—but once I asked about Nina's death she shut down," Lucas said. "She was beside herself, the nurse was calling the hospital about sedation when we left, she didn't know anything about that".

"And you believed her"?

"It was real," Brooke said. "They were best friends, and that was a genuine reaction to finding out her best friend was dead. One of two things happened, either her death and murder had nothing to do with them, which is highly unlikely—considering they took off with Madison".

"What's the second"? Haley asked.

"Her husband killed her best friend and left her in the dark about it," Brooke said throwing the drink down her throat. "The whole situation is bad—and now because we opened our mouths the police want to look at the case, which is cold, in tying it to them".

"Why is that bad"? Nathan asked.

"Because, Brooke spent the day with her and now she thinks she didn't do anything bad, except fall in love with a bad guy," Lucas said looking at her from across the room.

"I think she loved him so much she wouldn't testify against him," Brooke said. "I think she believed him at first until all the evidence is too much—but by then she was behind bars too, and was willing to die for him. There is no proof of her there—except her saying so, but now she knows, he killed her best friend so whatever hold he had on her might be broken".

"As if we didn't have enough problems," Lucas said, twisting his finger through the pillow next to him. "She lies about getting her a lawyer, now she really wants too".

"Brooke, are you serious"? Haley asked.

Brooke nodded. "Just to have them look over all the cases, to see if they can actually convict her—without her husband saying she was there, and her agreeing, I mean we all do stupid things for love but we shouldn't die for crimes that don't belong to us".

"I knew I should have gone with her" Haley said.

"You can't take a basket of mini muffins into a prison," Nathan told his wife.

"If she is guilty then that's fine, but it doesn't hurt to take a second look," Brooke said. "She told me everything I wanted to know, and then some—but nothing helped nothing. I don't know what to do about Maddie, I love her—and I promised I would do everything to keep her here, but I'm failing".

"You're not failing," Haley told her.

"I'm not being successful so please let me in on what exactly I am doing," Brooke said. "They are going to take her as far away as they can and there is nothing I can do to stop it".

"That's not entirely true".

The four adults turned to see Jamie and Madison standing in the doorway, holding hands.

"You found a way"? Nathan asked. "Legally—why do I feel the need to address that"?

"Yes, it's completely legal," Jamie said as he shut the door behind him and Madison. "But, you're gonna want to sit down".

"Good eyesight, son" Nathan said pointing at the three who were.

"All of you," Madison said, looking at the only one standing up.

Brooke sat her drink down, confused—and a little alarmed walked over and joined her other three friends.

"This doesn't make me nervous," Haley said, looking back and forth at the teenage couple.

Madison slowly sat down in the armchair and watched as Jamie sat down on the arm—before taking her hand in his. "It might sound a little crazy" he began.

Nathan scoffed. "Give yourself a little credit, Jam—after everything you've done today, this might be normal".

Jamie looked at his dad, and then at his mom, he thought about it for a second and he knew that at this moment—he had to be looking at the woman who birthed him. "We want to get married".

Three people, three people filled the room with "what's" and "are you serious"? The room halfway exploded, but one person didn't move.

Haley. She looked into the eyes of her son from across the room, and she didn't say anything.

Jamie half thought she expected it as if she was waiting for this, and he swore for a split second she even smiled.

"Everyone calm down," Haley said, unmoving from her spot. "Let's hear them out".

Nathan looked at his wife, stunned by her reaction. "They are sixteen".

"You and mom were seventeen, dad," Jamie said. "We aren't that much younger than you two were, and we have been together a lot longer than you two were".

"Well, he's got you there Nate," Lucas said but turned to his nephew. "J-Luke, marriage is a really big deal and you have to take it seriously, more people are getting divorced now than staying together".

"Yeah, if you marry the wrong person".

"Well, he's got you there," Nathan said, mocking his brother.

"Maddie and I have been together a hell of a lot longer than half—over half of the couples that get married, when their eighteen or in their twenties or their thirties," Jamie said. "We have been together eight—".

"Nine" Madison corrected him.

"Nine years," Jamie said.

"Just because you two have been together since you were kids doesn't mean you are ready for marriage" Brooke pointed out. "Luke is right, marriage is a big deal and it's hard—what makes you want to get married right now"?

"As Maddie's foster mom, which you will legally not be by morning, you can sign for her to get emancipated but that requires court and going in front of a judge," Jamie told her.

"Why would I want to sign for that anyways"? Brooke said.

"Well, you would if you didn't want them to take her away, and they are going to," Jamie said.

Brooke looked at Madison, and she felt her heartbreak into a thousand pieces.

"So, we don't have time for that, but what we do have time for is us getting married," Jamie said. "My lawyer already got the papers drawn up before the courthouse closed—we found a place we can go, we just need your signatures".

"Jamie, you're sixteen," Nathan said, his voice low. "You're just a kid".

"And so were you, dad—and look how well that turned out. Are you telling me you regret marrying mom"?

"Absolutely not," Nathan said. "But, getting married so young—was very hard, I love your mother with everything in me, but that doesn't mean it was easy".

"I'm not saying it will be, I am saying I love her and I don't want to lose her, and if I don't—I could," Jamie said. "I wanted to marry her anyway, we just happen to be doing it a little earlier than anticipated".

"Okay, enough" Haley said standing up. "I have heard enough," she told everyone walking over to her son, resting her hands on his shoulder. "I will—I will talk to your dad if this is what you really want".

"It is".

"It can't just be because she might be leaving," Haley told him. "It has to be because—".

"I love her"? Jamie asked, smiling. "Are you kidding? The fact that it keeps her in Tree Hill is just a perk".

Madison looked up at Jamie and smiled.

"Okay, then—give us a minute alone".

Jamie nodded and held Madison's hand as the two walked out of the hotel room.

The second the door clicked shut, suddenly Haley had two adults on her—and wishing she could drink a glass of wine.

"Are you serious"? Nathan asked. "He is sixteen".

"And he is right," Haley told him. "We weren't that much older than he is, and to be fair he is a little more mature than you were".

"Shut up, Lucas" Nathan said without turning around to face his brother.

"But, Haley—".

"Brooke, if you love her as much as you say you do—you will do anything to keep her where you can see her, and have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner's," Haley said. "This doesn't mean your relationship with her as over, they love each other. I think they are ready, and I think the pro's of this outweigh the con's—she could get back and be taken away, to God knows where, she has a chance to meet her dad and find out about her family, but we don't know where she would go or what kind of family she would go to. We know where she would go with this, she would meet her dad, have the best mother figure possible with Brooke, work at the cafè, go to school, and have an amazing husband. There are hard roads in marriage, but if we don't take this opportunity—we don't know what kind of road those two will be on. He will be devastated, and I don't know if he would ever recover and I don't know where she will be or who she will become—so I'm willing to sign a piece of paper for their happiness, are you two"?

* * *

It was perfect.

All of it was perfect.

Madison looked down at the rings on her finger, and she couldn't stop smiling. The deco oval cut diamond sat perfectly on top of the sterling silver ring, that matched the wedding band it was cuddled up to. It surprised her that Jamie got her an engagement ring at all, they were only engaged for mere hours.

She looked over at Jamie's band, he was a man that had no problem wearing jewelry—but if he was going to wear it he was going to like it, and she could tell it was bought in Texas. The marble black band looked almost elegant against his tan skin, and the good inlays with a light gray nuzzled between.

Their rings were perfect, although she assumed Jamie sent Lily to pick them out.

That didn't matter.

Madison looked down, at the dress Brooke surprised her with, smiling at the fact that her foster mother wouldn't let her get married in a pair of jeans and sneakers, even under these circumstances.

It was a Lace Applique Wedding Dress, the sleeve's cut off at her shoulder and it hit the floor perfectly just beneath her feet.

The dress was perfect.

The night sky hung over Jamie and Madison, with his parents and Brooke, Lily and Andre, and Lucas, the sound of the water flowing in the fountain behind them was mesmerizing.

Madison spent her whole childhood planning the perfect wedding in her head, and everything she dreamed up, couldn't compare to this.

The rings, the dress, the view—the company, it was perfect.

It was all perfect, but the most perfect part was who she was marrying, whose life she was tying to her own.

"I now pronounce you—husband and wife, you may kiss the bride".

Perfect.

* * *

**_Authors Note: I normally divide each chapter up with an equal, if not close to being equal time between the teenagers/Adults._**

**_But, I built this CRAZY storyline for Madison & it took an entire chapter to close it, at least half of it. I knew Madison would have heritage from both Cuba and Mexico (because that's mine, my mother is Cuban and my dad is from Mexico, I sometimes use things from my own life for inspiration in my story) but as I was writing it my eldest child from my first marriage wanted to help me._**

**_My first husband died, and his family came from Puerto Rico, so my daughter wanted Madison to be like her, so she is._**

**_I try not to give out to much information about myself because it's the internet, LOL, but I wanted to share that because Madison's ethnicity is now based off my favorite person in the whole world._**

**_For the most part now Madison's "who am I" story is closed, but she will get to learn more about her and family, tragedy and all, with the help of her (eek) husband._**

**_As I began writing this, I really felt Haley being led by her mother through it, what few episodes we got Mrs. Lydia James, I would have loved her as a series regular but moving forward you will start to see a lot of her qualities coming out in Haley, as she evolves through the next chapter of her life._**

**_I'm not the biggest fan of Peyton, so—who all would hate me if I casually removed her from the story?_**

**_I seen a review saying how they loved how I wrote Lily and Jamie, Lily is by far my favorite Teenager, and I'm hoping for more fun with her in the future._**

**_I try to get as much as I can in each chapter, I'm starting to worry this is going to be one of those stories with hundreds of chapters (haha) because I still have so much to tell, but I already know how I'm going to end this story... just got to find the fastest way to get there._**


	27. Chapter 27

_**Another chapter. **_

_**So soon! **_

_**It's a short one, very short, but hope you enjoy! **_

* * *

The tears.

Haley couldn't decide if they were happy tears or sad tears, all she knew for sure was that they were there. She could hear this voice inside her head, screaming, that this was the worst thing she could have allowed her son to do. Then there was this other voice, this softer voice—calming and soothing, it told her that she did the right thing.

He was sixteen, Jamie, he was only sixteen.

Haley clenched her husband's hand as they eased down the walkway, walking back toward the chapel.

It felt like a dream, and a nightmare, all wrapped up in one reality.

Haley stopped, and she felt her arm jerk slightly, as Nathan realized that she had stopped, but looked back to find his wife looking behind her.

Jamie and Madison looked—like newlyweds, they were laughing and smiling—all for the pictures Lily was taking with multiple phones and the large camera that was wrapped around Andre's neck.

Haley watched as her son kissed his bride, and she felt this ache in her chest, she looked at Madison in her dress and Jamie in the same dress attire a lot of men wore on casual Friday to the office.

"I hope we made the right decision," Nathan said walking up behind his wife, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

"We did, they'll be okay," Haley said.

"I hope so".

Haley tilted her head to the back, just slightly to look at her husband. "Are you worried"? She asked.

By not verbally answering, unknowingly, Nathan answered his wife's question.

"Do you remember my mom telling us—how she knew that you were the one for me"? Haley asked. "That she knew you were gonna change my life," she said as she smiled.

Nathan looked down at his wife and suddenly remembered how contagious her smile was because he felt a similar one on his face. "Yeah".

"I never understood what she meant—or how she could just let me get married at seventeen," Haley told Nathan as she turned around wrapping her arms around him. "And then today I did, I look at Madison and I know that she is going to change his life, there is no one out there in this world that would be better suited for our son, than that girl".

"I don't doubt that for a minute," Nathan told his wife.

Haley looked at Nathan, tilting her head back to see him in a better view. "Then what is it—Nathan, what's wrong"?

"It's not Madison that I'm worried about" he admitted. "It's Jamie—I believe that they love each other, but I worry about their marriage if something does happen, it won't be her undoing—it will be his, I worry that he wasn't ready for this".

Haley looked up at Nathan, shocked by his words—searching for her own inside her head.

"Mom".

The couple turned to see Jamie and Madison walking towards them, hand in hand, the dark-haired bride holding her dress up as she walked while her groom carried her white heels in his hand.

"My lawyer just called," he told his parents. "We sent him a copy of our marriage and everything, he will send the licenses off for us first thing in the morning, and we will be legally married, then he will contact the foster care system, and when we return Maddie can sign herself out".

"That's great," Haley said clasping her hand over her chest.

"I also talked to our pilot, he will be ready for take-off for you guys at twelve tomorrow morning".

"Us"? Nathan asked.

"Yeah," Jamie said. "We are going to spend a few extra days down here, wait to see if we can find anything else out on Maddie's dad—".

"My mom is buried in San Antonio—we thought we would drive down there".

"Not the most romantic honeymoon" Lily commented with her arms crossed.

"You're going to miss some school," Haley told her son.

"We can make it up, and it's not like it's going to hurt me," Jamie said. "I'm a straight-A student, it would hurt someone like Chuck—".

"Please, these past few days have hurt Chuck" Andre commented.

"And then what"? Haley asked. "When you get back—what's your plan"?

Jamie looked at Madison before he looked at his mom. "Well, Andre's cousin—on his dad's side is a realtor, and she is already looking for houses for us to see, we thought we could stay in a hotel in the meantime—".

"A hotel"? Haley asked. "No, you two will stay with us".

"We will"? Jamie asked.

"They will"? Nathan asked.

"Yes" Haley said. "Your stuff is already there and there is no stress on finding a place to live, it doesn't really make sense to waste all that money on a hotel when you have a room—rent-free".

"Erm—thanks," Jamie said, glancing down at Madison.

"Well— I'm hungry," Jamie said. "Anyone else"?

"Starving" Madison said.

Nathan watched as the four teenagers made their way towards the chapel before turning to face his wife. "I think you're missing the point of marriage".

"What"? Haley asked. "Oh, relax, it's not like we didn't live with Deb at some point in time".

Nathan nodded. "We did, we were broke—he isn't broke".

"They were going to live in a hotel".

"Is that was this was about—".

"What else would it be about"?

Nathan crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side. "I saw you," he said. "When Jamie said he was going to stay here—skip school for the rest of the week, I thought your head was going to turn because you couldn't tell him no".

Haley rolled her eyes. "Oh, c'mon," she said. "I'm the first one that jumped on board with this marriage".

Nathan nodded. "You did, but now that it's happened—are you may be having doubts"?

Haley scoffed. "Of course not".

"I'm not talking about their marriage—about Jamie".

Haley looked at Nathan. "I'm doing what any mother, even yours would do," she said. "Now, let's go—Jamie just mentioned food and I'm eating for three—or more".

"Not funny".

* * *

**_Authors Note: It was a small chapter, just a filler, a bridge between this chapter & the next._**

**_Everyone is not only so invested in the adults, but the teenagers as well so I'm thinking of doing something.. call me crazy, but I'm thinking of rotating the chapters._**

**_One chapter would solely focus on the adults, and the next on the teens, of course their would still be interactions between the two different sets, along with chapters completely intertwining the two sets._**

**_What I mean is, if I did a chapter following the teenagers I would solely focus on their storylines but they would still interact with the adults, and vice versa._**

**_My chapters would be longer, and get to go more in depth in each storyline, but some people prefer to have them like they are, so I'm leaving that up with you, my wonderful readers._**

**_As a writer, it is challenging to write everything like this, but I enjoy reading it back because it feels more true to one tree hill. Or at least the early seasons, when Keith and Dan, Deb & Karen, also had their own storylines, so this is what I prefer, but I had this suggested to me over a private Message._**

**_Again, this chapter was just a small bridge._**

**_Thanks for reading and reviewing!_**


	28. Chapter 28

The inside of the elevator was silent, it was so quiet that if someone dropped a pen it would echo in the small area. Or maybe Brooke was being dramatic, perhaps it was both.

Both.

It was both.

Brooke stood in the corner, watching as one number after the other lit up, as they were lifted floor after floor. After what felt like an eternity, this was Brooke being dramatic again, the doors opened, and she anticipated that she would be the last to exit, but Lucas stood against the doors—preventing them from opening, waiting for her.

She smiled, but barely—not because of him if it were solely about him she would have a smile a mile long if it were possible, she was tired. And somewhat broken inside.

"Good night" Brooke heard and looked to see Haley waving as she and Nathan rounded the corner towards their room.

The world-famous fashion designer began making her way to her own room, slowly, with her head down and her thoughts turning, her heart aching. She felt her eyes heavy, but she didn't know if it was from the tired aches her body felt or the piercing pain her heartfelt.

It wasn't until she found her room that Brooke realized she wasn't alone, Lucas was standing behind her, with one hand in his pocket. It wouldn't have been odd, except his hotel room was in the opposite direction, for a second it struck her as strange—not having officially put a label on whatever it was going on between the two she wouldn't think he would have followed her just to climb into bed with her.

But, when Brooke looked at him she knew that she was right—that wasn't why he followed her. Lucas was leaned against the wall looking at her, his eyes soft and apologetic. "Are you okay"? He asked as he watched her slide her key into the door.

"I'm fine," Brooke said. "And I made it to my room—so you can go".

"Brooke".

When she looked up at him, Brooke knew that he had very little faith in her words.

Lucas knew that she was lying.

"I won," Brooke said running her fingers through her hair. "I won, I figured out a way for her to stay—well, actually I didn't figure it out, a bunch of illegal teenagers did! But, she gets to stay, she isn't going to have move away to a strange place, she gets to stay in her hometown—graduate with her friends, everything! We got what we wanted".

Lucas tilted his head. "Then what's wrong"?

"It's stupid—and selfish, but I wasn't ready to let her go, I just got her," Brooke said. "I was looking into adopting her, she wasn't my daughter legally or in any way, so I don't know why I feel like I lost someone, that wasn't even mine".

"I don't know why you feel like you've lost her at all," Lucas said. "You have not lost Madison, you just said it yourself Brooke, she doesn't have to leave, she isn't going anywhere".

"She is going to move out".

Lucas sighed, as he looked at Brooke. "Yeah, she will but that doesn't mean she is going to make this decision to cut you out of her life. She looks up to you, she loves you—she wanted you to adopt her, she took a different road, a little unexpected but now you get to be in her life, permanently—you don't have to worry where she ended up or if she was safe because you know".

Brooke leaned against her door. "I wanted to help her get dressed for prom, or homecoming, help her pick something out to wear for graduation, help her study for her SAT's, and decide on a college, I know she has only been in my life for a short time but I made all these plans and—".

"And Maddie getting married doesn't change them," Lucas told her. "You might have to go to whatever house she and Jamie move into, but you will still do all those things. When she and Jamie have their first fight, who do you think she is going to call? Her high school friends who know nothing about marriage? No—she is going to call you, she might even come over and eat ice cream, trash talk Jamie because we both know it's going to be his fault—just take it easy, it's still my nephew".

Brooke looked up at Lucas, and she smiled, she knew at that moment she wanted to see the world through his eyes, through his thoughts—through him.

"And let me guess," Brooke said stepping close to him. "You're going to be upstairs? Eavesdropping—reporting everything back to Jamie".

"Whoa—you just skipped a lot of steps," he said, mocking her from earlier in the day. "But," he told Brooke wrapping an arm around her waist "that's the idea".

Before Brooke could gather her thoughts to inhale, Lucas had his lips against hers and he felt as she sunk into his arms.

It was crazy to Brooke, how in such a short time she had fallen so hard for him, though she still had trouble admitting it out loud. But, thankfully she didn't have to, all she had to do right now was kiss him—so she did.

She felt her back hit a wall—and it didn't take her long to realize at some point the two had made their way inside her hotel room.

Lucas picked Brooke up, keeping her pinned tightly to the wall, as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist—and he wanted to keep kissing her, he didn't ever want to stop—and they wouldn't have if he hadn't felt something wet against his own cheek.

It didn't take him long to figure out, it her tear, from the previous outburst she had in the hall.

He didn't break apart the kiss right away, it was something he had to work up to, but eventually, he separated his lips from hers, and sat her down on the floor.

Brooke stood with her back against the wall, looking at him—confused. "What's wrong"? She asked, her breath still shaky and unsteady. "Did I bite your lip or something"?

Lucas raised his eyes brows and chuckled. "You think I'm going to quit kissing you because you bit my lip"? He asked. "For future reference—you can bite any part of my body," he said until his head reeled him back to reality. "Strike that, any part except one".

Brooke laughed as she wrapped her arms around his torso, looking up at him. "Then what's wrong"? She asked, her tone returning back to normal.

"As badly—as much—I want this to happen," Lucas said pointing his finger between the two, indicating the very thing he was talking about. "But—"

"A but? From Lucas Scott—about sex, with me"? Brooke asked arching her eyebrow. "You do know I'm Brooke Davis right"?

Lucas chuckled. "I had my suspicions," he said. "It's not you—well, I guess it is. I want to have sex with you, but I don't think it's a good idea".

"Oh".

"Right now, not altogether," he said. "Ten minutes ago you were standing outside that door, crying—and I don't want our first time to be about you being sad or hurt, I want your mind to be focused".

"Focused"? Brooke asked smiling.

"I need your mind focused" he repeated. "I need your mind clear, for when I blow it".

Brooke took a step back and smiled. "I guess that's understandable".

Lucas leaned down and kissed her one more time before walking towards the door.

"You know," Brooke said. "You're right—sex right now, wouldn't be the best idea—but I don't see any reason why you couldn't at least stay with me tonight".

Brooke watched as Lucas looked at her, for a solid twenty-two seconds, before closing the door, and she smiled.

Then the two made their way to the bed, where they slept, and... that's all they did.

* * *

Jake smiled at the sound of Peyton's laugh as the two sat curled up in the bed, in his hotel room—he wasn't even entirely sure what was on the television, he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't find the strength to take his eyes off the blonde next to him, who was indulging herself in the large bowl of popcorn that sat in her boyfriend's lap.

So many years had passed between the last time they were together and now, and yet somehow it felt as if no time had passed. Although Jake was reminded when he looked in the mirror, he wasn't going to dwell on that small factor, he was happier than he could ever remember being—except the last time he was with Peyton. The only thing that put a small dent in that memory was Nikki, and even she had evolved over the years, she was happy for Jake, and she wanted him to be with someone who made him happy.

And he was.

Happier than he could have ever imagined.

"Okay," Peyton said picking up the remote. "What do you want to watch next? Just keep in mind I spent months with Brooke so nothing mushy and gushy, no rom-com, something with blood. And no vampire's that sparkle".

Jake hadn't even been aware that the movie they were watching was over, but when he looked up he saw the end credits were slowly scrolling down the large screen. He half wanted to ask what the movie was about, but he quickly thought that a bear trap would be much safer.

"So, what do you want"? Peyton asked looking over at him smiling.

What did he want? He didn't want this to end, ever. He wanted this happiness he felt to last forever, with her.

"Marry me".

Peyton dropped the remote in her hand, and the popcorn she was chewing rolled out of her mouth, the words he said shot a rough vibration through her body.

"What"? Peyton asked, as if she actually believed she had heard him wrong—when in fact she hadn't.

"Marriage—you know the dum dum dudum" Jake said, doing his very best humming impression of the wedding March he could. "Rings. Vows. You and me, some kids—".

"Oh, my god" Peyton said turning to fully face him. "You're serious".

"Most people don't ask someone to marry them as a joke".

"Some people do when they have only been dating for a few months," Peyton said.

"Does it count if you have known each other as long as we have"? Jake asked. "We spent all those years apart Peyton—I don't want to waste any more time, I love you, you're the thing that has been missing from my life all these years".

"We haven't even had sex"!

"We can change that right now," he said with a smile. "And technically we have—it's just been a few minutes".

"Try decades and decades," Peyton said standing up.

"A decade" Jake corrected her rolling his eyes. "And a half, you're being very—Brooke right now".

Peyton put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. "What is that supposed to mean"?

"Nothing," Jake said shaking his head. "It means nothing, would you come back to bed"?

"How am I supposed to just crawl into bed with someone who purposes you me"? She asked.

Jake awkwardly scratched the back of his head, not entirely sure how to approach anything else she said. "Most girls like that".

"I'm not most girls," Peyton said throwing her hand up as she began to storm around the room, looking around all the furniture, under—besides. "How can I marry someone who doesn't know something as simple as that? Most girls like getting their hair done and facials—I find it revolting, and you want to marry me? Does that make sense to you"?

"Not right now," he said as he watched her shuffle across the room like a madwoman. "What the hell are you doing"?

"I'm looking for my shoes," Peyton told him.

Jake pointed. "They're by the door".

"Oh".

"Why are you leaving"? He asked.

"I need to get out of here before you start asking me about having kids or talking about escrow," Peyton said slipping her shoes on. "This is crazy, I need—I don't know what I need but whatever it is—it's on the other side of that door".

"Peyton, would you stop it's the middle of the night"?

"Exactly, it's only the middle of the night—I can't imagine what you'll start talking about in an hour," Peyton told him. "I mean did you even think about this, or did you just spring this on me—"?

"Does it matter"? He asked. "It's pretty clear what your answer is".

Peyton stopped what she was doing and for the first time since she heard the words she looked at Jake, there were a thousand ways she could have handled this, and she chose the way that would break his heart.

"I didn't say no," Peyton told him as she opened the door. "It's just a lot, to spring on someone all at once like that".

"Is that it"? Jake asked.

"I just—I don't know," Peyton told him. "I was watching Mad Max, one of the most unromantic movies of all time and my boyfriend just blurts out marry me—".

"Like you did when we were seventeen"? He asked.

Peyton looked at him and ran her fingers through her hair. "That was—that was different," she told him. "I was a kid".

"Exactly, you were—I was, we were," Jake told her. "But, we're not anymore and we sure as hell aren't getting any younger, so why waste time? Just answer this, honestly"?

Peyton closed the door she had just opened, praying that she wouldn't regret this.

"Do you want to be with me? And I don't mean right now, in this second—I mean when you think far into the future, on your last days who do you want have spent your life with"?

Jake.

When Peyton pictured her last days on this earth and who she had by her side, it was Jake.

It's not like he was asking her to help crack the da Vinci code, he asked a simple question, and she knew the answer—almost immediately. Peyton didn't understand why she had such trouble wrapping her head around what was right in front of her—shirtless, not the point.

But, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time, or at all.

Fear.

Paralyzing fear.

"I'll see you in the morning," Peyton said before rushing out of the room, without looking back.

Jake watched as the door closed slowly behind Peyton before sitting back in the bed, and shrugged. "I should have just said X-men".

* * *

Haley, though she had been lucky—until now, in her defense though she had, right before the sun came up it hit her like a ton of bricks. The nausea, the sickness—it wasn't at all like she remembered with her past pregnancies, actually she didn't remember it all. She could recall certain smells making her queasy, like Nathan's aftershave or the pecan pie's at the café, but it was nothing like this, this pregnancy had already made up for the sickness she missed with the first two.

Each wave was stronger than the last, she had been sick since she opened her eyes—she was sick while they got ready to leave the hotel, the car ride to the airport, the flight—oh, the flight was when it hit the worst, the car ride home, and ever since she stepped over the threshold she had been hugging the toilet in the master bathroom connected to her bedroom.

Haley never knew that being sick could actually cause you such physical pain, her body ached in places she didn't know it could. She wasn't cold—she was hot, scorching hot, but her jaw was chattering and she had shivers and chills down every inch of her body.

On the other side of the door was Nathan, unpacking their clothes from the small trip—and by unpacking he was tossing everything in the laundry basket, dirty or not. He wasn't paying any attention to what he was doing in the least, he was simply fighting the urge to waltz into the bathroom—the one place in the world he was not wanted right now.

Despite every want—need, Nathan felt coursing through his body to go and aid his wife, he was doing his best to respect her wishes, which was much easier said than done.

Haley didn't want him in there—or maybe she didn't want him to see what was happening in there, regardless of why she didn't want him in the bathroom with her, she didn't want him in there.

Nathan felt helpless, he felt completely helpless, he couldn't remember the last time he felt that let alone when it came to Haley. He actually took joy in the fact that he could always think of the right thing to say when she felt down or ill, or anything in between, sure he dug himself many graves over the years but in the end, he could always make her smile or laugh, or at the very least make her feel better if she was sad.

But, on this side of the door, there was absolutely nothing he could do.

Nathan knew very little to nothing about the female anatomy—in medical terms, he could find his way around Haley's body in all his favorite places, but when he went to doctor's appointments with her he always understood very little. Hell, he barely knew about the male anatomy, but he did know that morning sickness went hand in hand with pregnancy, and most of the time it just had to be waited out. There was no short cut, no way around it—but he wanted to at least sit there and hold his wife's hand, and give her what support he could—but she didn't want it.

He didn't ask why Nathan wasn't sure what good that would do for a few different reasons. One being she didn't want him in the bathroom, walking in would only upset her, the second reason being she couldn't answer him even if he walked in and demanded answers, then there was the third reason—it wasn't about what he wanted, not right now, Haley's wants and needs came before anything and everything he wished for or wanted right now. He wasn't going to upset her by forcing himself on her, just to make him feel better.

Nathan looked up at the sound of the door opening and rushed to Haley's side—taking her hand.

"The circle of the life sucks," Haley said resting her head against her husband's shoulder.

"Here," Nathan said as he helped his wife into bed. "I brought you up a club soda—and some saltines, that's what mom said".

"You called your mom over my morning sickness"? Haley asked resting her head against the pillow. "I would have thought you would have called Brooke or Peyton—or even Lucas before you called your mom".

Nathan chuckled. "She stopped by not long ago since Jamie is borrowing Lily's car, Lily is borrowing his—at least until he and Maddie get back, so mom brought Lily to pick it up. She asked where you were—your not mad I told her you're pregnant"?

"I'm pretty certain after the plane ride back—everyone knew," Haley said rubbing the back of her palm against her forehead.

Nathan nodded. "She said it won't fully relieve it—but it will help," he said and paused for a split second. "Then I called Brooke".

Haley wanted to laugh, but all her energy could only allow a small smile on her face. "And"?

"She said something about a bracelet—or a band, it's meant for acupressure points that would help," Nathan said. "I think, she talked about a thousand different things, she is going to pick it up for me and I'll bring it over here to you".

"Tell her thank you," Haley said. "I never had morning sickness with Jamie or Lydia—at least if I did I don't remember".

"You didn't," Nathan said, crouching down balancing on his ankles next to the side of the bed so that he and his wife faced to face. "Is there anything I can do—tell me, I'll do anything".

Haley reached up and cupped his cheek. "Just letting me rest, would be great".

"I can do that".

"What time is it"?

Nathan glanced down at his wristwatch "almost three".

"Then you need to go," Haley told him. "I have this arrangement with Brooke and Peyton, we take a turn picking up the kids—it's my day. Sawyer will go to Luke's and then drop the twins off with Brooke—you'll need to make Lydia dinner, and she can't just eat Mac and cheese but get Mac and cheese or she won't eat the rest of her dinner. Brooke will probably watch her so you can go the grocery after you pick the kids up, you don't want to take her or you won't get out of there without buying half the candy aisle".

"What should I get her"?

"Well, she can't live off of pizza—despite what she says," Haley said. "I'm sure she has had it the past few nights at Quinn's when Quinn has all the kids plus her own—it's hard to cook so she orders take out, something simple would be fine, enchiladas—she loves them".

"Will you be able to handle the smell"? Nathan asked. "They tend to fume the whole house".

"Oh, good point—by the refrigerator there is a small box, it has my mom's recipes in it, there is one for baked honey mustard chicken—just don't tell her what it's called, she claims she hates mustard but she doesn't—so make sure she doesn't see you put it in," Haley said. "Also, make sure to check her bag for homework, she will say she doesn't have any but double-check because dollars to donuts she will wait until after her bath to tell you, then she will either get a bad grade or you'll be up for another hour helping her with it".

"Gotcha".

"Make sure to do the laundry—go to the bathroom get the laundry out of there, and Lydia's room—Jamie leaves his laundry folded in his closet".

Nathan arched an eyebrow. "He folds his deity laundry"?

Haley nodded. "White basket in the closet, when you're done with it make sure to fold and put it on his dresser don't try to put it away, his drawers are organized on a level I only dream about".

"Okay".

"And you need to talk to Brooke—I told Peyton I would but I can't—and it needs to be casual—".

Nathan opened the drawer to his nightstand. "Would you like to write all this down"?

Haley half smiled but took the pen and notepad from his hands. "Okay".

* * *

Peyton opened the door to her car and quickly got out making her way up the walkway to her ex-husband's front door. She took a minute to compose herself from the stress she had undergone since Jake blurted out the question of all question's twelve hours prior, before turning the knob and taking a step inside.

"Luke"? She called, as she shut the door behind her.

Lucas peered around from the kitchen at the sound of Peyton's voice, before she made her way through the house with a small white bag in her hand. "I picked up Sawyer's refill," she told him laying it on his table. "I always get that same pharmacists bitch every time I go in".

Lucas watched as Peyton opened the door to his refrigerator, pulling the nearest water bottle out and taking a small sip. "Who is the bitch"? He asked cocking his head to the side.

"Dark hair always wears red—like the color of hell," Peyton said sitting down at his table. "Where she is from I'm sure, probably why she is so short—any taller and she won't have any heat radiation from her home planet".

"Kristie"? Lucas asked pointing as he thought about all the ladies that worked where he picked his daughter's medicine up at.

"Yes," Peyton said nodding. "She hates me".

"She loves me," Lucas said shrugging as he sat across from her. "She gives me a lollipop every time I go in".

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Probably because she wants to lick yours" she commented slamming the water bottle down on the table. "Quinn called me before we left the hotel this morning and said Sawyer took the last this morning before school, so I called on the plane—giving them more than enough time to refill it, but apparently I never called, but I know it was her that I talked to because it sounded like someone got a hold of the helium tank at a child's birthday party".

Lucas looked across the table at his ex-wife, and he laughed. He couldn't help it, though he lived to regret it when she swung her foot under the table kicking him dead in the shin. "Ow, damn it, Peyton".

If there was a queen tor the smart ass smirk, Lucas Scott's ex-wife would be it.

"Are you sure the pharmacy lady—".

"Bitch".

"Fine" Lucas said sitting back. "Are you sure the pharmacy bitch is what's wrong? It's not like she isn't rude to you every time you go in—".

"Exactly, she always has something to—".

"I actually have a point," Lucas said, interlacing his fingers and lying his hands on the table, looking at her.

"Sorry," Peyton told him. "Carry on".

"She works you up every time Sawyer needs her refill or goes to the doctor but you make your little snide comment and move on," Lucas told her. "You don't complain about her for twenty minutes".

"I haven't even been here twenty minutes," Peyton said crossing her arms. "Not even ten".

"Yeah, but you called Brooke and bitched about it before you even got here" Lucas pointed out.

"And how do you know that"? Peyton asked, only half teasing him.

"She told me," Lucas said and pointed his finger at her "but don't try to change the subject, it won't work".

"And what is the subject"? Peyton asked. "I'm having a pissy day, you were married to me for ten years Lucas, you should know that better than anyone".

Lucas scoffed. "First try a month, not day, second I do know that—but I also know there is generally a reason, anytime you're upset there is a reason, there is always a reason—you can be a pain the ass, almost one hundred percent of the time but you aren't a bitch just to be a bitch".

"Is this supposed to be a pep talk of some sort"? Peyton asked folding her arms. "Because it's not working".

"I'm saying—there is a reason behind this dreadful little mood you're in," Lucas told her. "And I'm pretty sure I know what it is".

"Oh, you do—do you"?

Lucas nodded. "I'm sure this is all over that little proposal Jake gave you last night".

The fact that Peyton's mouth has hit the floor was proof enough for Lucas, that he was in fact right.

Although he wasn't going to push it and force her to say it out loud—he valued his life more than that.

"Wait—how do you know"? Peyton asked, reliving the past half a day of her life, trying to think who all she had told—but came up empty, this was one fact she had kept to herself.

"Well, Jake," Lucas said. "He told me".

"What is happening"? Peyton asked. "You two are now Batman and Robin? I thought the ex-husband was supposed to hate the new boyfriend".

"When I start dating are you going to hate her"? Lucas asked.

"How could I—she was my maid of honor," Peyton said folding her arms, smirking.

"We will come back to that later," Lucas said, ignoring her comment. "Peyton, besides Sawyer—the only good thing that came out of our marriage was the divorce. I mean don't get me wrong, we had some good times but—we were never in love, I will always love you, but I don't think I have been in love with you since high school".

Peyton looked at Lucas, and the words he said should have been hurtful—on some level, but they weren't. There was no pain through her heart, she felt nothing, perhaps because what he said was true.

For both of them.

"We aren't a normal divorced couple," Lucas said. "Do you realize we get along better now than we have in years—it's almost like we are friends again"?

Peyton nodded, slowly. "That's true," she said. "The other night I was tucking Sawyer into bed and she said it was nice how she could be in the same room as both of us, without one of us being mad or upset at the other".

"I want you to be happy—if it's with Jake, that's fine, if it's with someone else that's fine, too," he said. "If I were bitter maybe I would be a straight ass to him, a dick every time he was around—but I'm not bitter, and neither are you".

Peyton looked at him. "It's Jake, FYI, the person that makes me happy—it is Jake".

"Then what happened"? Lucas asked. "He said you ran out of the room so fast you left your fake eyelashes".

Peyton kicked him under the table once again, this time a little softer. "I got scared, I don't know—I got scared," she said. "Jake is amazing and great, and he is so good with Sawyer—she loves him Luke, but here he was offering me everything I could want—and I got scared".

"Why"? Lucas asked sincerely. "Do you know why"?

"No, when you asked me to marry meet you at the airport to go get married, there wasn't an ounce of fear in me," Peyton told him. "I packed what I needed and we left, when we came home I never flinched—the day we got married I was filled with adrenaline, I never got scared—so why am I now"?

Lucas leaned forward and said "you never got scared with us, but look how we ended. Do you think that maybe you got scared because—this, you and Jake, might not have an expiration date"?

Peyton looked at Lucas, and as badly as she hated to admit—and she never would out loud, but he might have been right.

"Everyone gets a little cold feet," Lucas said. "Everyone gets the jitters, but you never did—I never did, and maybe that's because we weren't meant to be together and we both knew it wouldn't work. When you're used to people always leaving—it's only natural to be a little scared when one might stay".

"I wish it was just that, but it's not," Peyton said. "We have been seeing each other for months, and we have never had sex".

"Really"? Lucas asked, alarmingly shocked. "I thought you two would have fifty shades of greyed it up by now".

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Always classy, aren't you"?

Lucas chuckled before running his fingers through his hair. "Seriously—can I ask, why do you think that is? You two not having sex—why do you think you haven't"?

Peyton day back, her muscles relaxing into the back of the chair—that was so uncomfortable, Lucas had to be the one to pick them out. No woman alive would buy them before testing them out, but no woman lived here—except Lily—and just like that she knew her mind had drifted, because she didn't want to face her problem. Or hear it, or say it.

"When I think about the last time I had sex—the last time we had sex, it wasn't enjoyable," Peyton said slowly.

"Way to kill my ego".

Peyton smiled, but only for a second. "It wasn't you—it was me," she said. "The sex, was great, don't get me wrong, but it was so painful, emotionally. Every time after—after I cheated on you, it hurt. You were kind and understanding, you were everything—and I hurt you, I caused you pain".

"You're scared you're going to do the same to Jake"? He asked.

"Maybe, I don't know".

"Well, if that's the case then don't worry—Peyton, you're not the only one at fault for the end of our marriage, I am too," he said. "I was so wrapped up in Brooke—and Lily, and my mom—that I never so much as looked at you. You were my wife, and I spent the day harboring these feelings for another woman, you're best friend at that. You can't hold yourself accountable for everything that went wrong in our marriage, and you can't put your relationship with Jake on such a high pedal-stool because of how toxic ours was, or how it ended, or anything. They are two separate relationships, that doesn't mean you and Jake aren't going to have your dog days, but they won't be like ours".

Peyton half-smiled. "Thanks".

"Now, get out of here," he said. "Sawyer will be home any minute—and she will want you to stay for dinner".

"And here I was thinking you were being all sweet".

"You can't stay for dinner because you need to go see Jake, and I recommend taking a bottle of wine and wearing that little black thing you have," he told her.

Peyton narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm leaving," she said getting up and making her way to the back door, before turning around briefly. "Hey, Luke"?

"Yeah"? He asked turning around to face her.

"I know our marriage—our divorce, it was inevitable—but I'm still sorry for my part".

Lucas smiled at her and nodded. "Yeah, me too".

* * *

"Mommy, Mommy"!

Two blonde-haired boys ran full speed ahead into their mother's arms, smiling and laughing.

"Oh, I missed you," Brooke said kissing each one of her twins on top of the head. "Did you have fun at Quinn's"?

"Yeah, Clay helped us with our homework," Davis said.

"And we got to swim in their pool—inside," Jude said folding his arms. "It was so bougie".

"Bougie"? Brooke asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Some girl on Logan's phone said it," Jude said. "It's a video app called Tik-Tok, can I have one"?

Brooke chuckled. "Absolutely not—why don't you take Lydia upstairs and play for a few minutes".

Nathan and Brooke watched as the three ran up the stairs case as fast as their legs could travel.

"I got that bracelet," Brooke told Nathan as she walked over to the decor table picking up a shopping bag. "I also grabbed a few vitamins that may help—is she doing any better"?

Nathan shook his head. "Not when I left anyways," he said. "She doesn't want me anywhere near her—I don't understand why".

"That's actually the most simple problem to solve," Brooke said handing him the bag. "I never wanted Julian to see me get sick either, I was so excited to be pregnant but I never wanted my pregnancy to affect the way he saw me—as the sexy woman he fell in love with".

"She thinks I won't find her sexy"?

"It could be—yeah," Brooke said. "Or that's how I felt".

"Why would she think that"?

Brooke smiled. "Nathan, she is across the road with chunky liquid coming out of her mouth and nose, I'm not saying that's what it is—I'm saying it's a possibility, that's why I didn't want Julian with me".

"So, what do I do"? He asked.

"You respect her wishes—".

"Okay, but that's what I have been doing and it's driving me crazy, I want to help her".

"How"? Brooke asked. "How are you going to help her? How is you hovering over her every time she gets sick going to help her—or make it better"?

Nathan looked at Brooke and shrugged. "I could hold her hair".

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You're such a guy".

"Then tell me what to do"!

"Whatever she wants—she is going to feel like crap, for God knows how long so you do whatever the hell she wants you to do," Brooke said. "If she wants you with her be there if she wants to be by herself leave her alone if she wants you to get up and sweep the roof—go buy a ladder".

Nathan dug into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "She made a list".

Brooke snatched the piece of paper. "Then let's see what's on this—did you say list or book"? She asked as she leaned against the kitchen table.

Nathan shrugged. "I haven't asked but I think she does all that in a day's time—and if she does, I'm pretty sure she is superwoman".

"Wow," Brooke said. "She is very—through".

Nathan grabbed a beer out of Brooke's refrigerator and popped it open. "Don't tell her but I sent mom to buy the groceries?" he said. "I sat in carpool for almost an hour".

Brooke nodded. "Can I ask what this talk to Brooke is about"? She asked pointing at the list. "It has the words insecure, body, and hot next to it"?

Nathan swallowed what beer had been sitting in his throat. "I'm supposed to remind you that you're hot".

"Okay, I already know that so I'm going to need you to go into a little more detail than that" Brooke said crossing her arms.

"I don't know, she was getting sick again and she mentioned something about Peyton—I think, she said you got upset after Peyton made a comment about her own body—I don't know, when Luke or Skills or Mouth is having a problem I don't give them a smack on the ass and tell them their hot" Nathan said. "I give them a beer and a life lesson I learned at four o'clock from Dr. Phil"!

Brooke was sure she would crack a rib from laughing so hard, Nathan's meltdown was suddenly the best part of her day.

"You're really having a bad day, aren't ya, Nate"? Brooke asked.

"You have no idea," Nathan said sitting his beer down. "In all the years Haley and I have been married do you know how many times I have cooked—neither do I! When I cook it's called take out. I was not done with my twin freak out and now if I freak out I'm an ass because my wife can't even lift her head without getting sick, and she doesn't want my help, my sixteen years old just got married—and I'm having twins. Lydia apparently lies to get out of doing her homework and did I mention I have to figure out how to cook dinner—and Lydia likes to paint her nails and I don't know how to do that, I have to pick her out something to wear to school tomorrow, and double-check her homework and water the lawn and not accidentally put bleach in with our blacks, which FYI I already did—".

"Okay," Brooke said waving her arms around. "Breathe—relax, sit down".

Nathan felt Brooke push against his back, and guide him over to the nearest chair, where he sat down—slowly, trying not to make no sudden movements.

"It's going to be okay," Brooke said sitting in the chair nearest to him.

"I never realized how much she did in a day—she is superwoman," Nathan said.

"It's Haley—I know you're not just now figuring that out".

"No," Nathan told her. "It's not just what she does, she has a certain way that she does it—all of it. The house is always clean and there is always food, and I never even realized the little things—like the batteries for the remotes, do you know who picks them up? Not me. When the car's need detailed, or a new battery—she calls about it and tells me later. I didn't even know Lydia has fish—it's a big tank in her room, I go in Lydia's room every night and I never noticed it until Haley said I needed to clean it out—I'm a terrible father and husband—".

"Okay, meltdown I will allow, calling yourself a bad anything and I draw the line," Brooke told him. "You're busy—you work, hard to provide this amazing life for your wife and kids—".

"So, does she," Nathan said. "She works at the school, but she still gets up and gets the kids up, she even makes breakfast every morning—and does the dishes before she leaves, if she didn't smell so good all the time I wouldn't even know she showered, there is never any evidence of dirty clothes, but she picks up mine. I'm trying to think about what I do that contributes to our family—at all".

"Well, clearly your penis works" Brooke commented, taking a direct stab at the many children the Scott family was about to have.

Nathan looked up from the table to find Brooke half smiling at her sarcastic answer, and he was shocked that he found the humor in it, and laughed as well.

"Look, Nate, Haley carries your family on her back, but she does it her way," Brooke said. "Everyone is different, just because she does it one way doesn't mean you have to do it that way. For the time being Haley is down, she could be six for the next day or month, or until the end of her pregnancy, regardless until she is able to stand on her own feet again you have to figure this out. When Julian died, I never thought I would—I went from relying on half of everything through him to a widow with two twin boys, but I adjusted. Julian did the cooking, Julian helped them with their homework—and most of the cleaning-".

"And what did you do"? Nathan asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I reminded him how hot I was and that he married up" Brooke joked, only partly. "Julian and I grew up, both of us in pretty secure homes—we both had nannies, and maid's, Gardner's and pool boys, and lived these ravishing lifestyle's—but he didn't want that for us, our kids. I mean he wanted them to have everything they wanted, within reason, but he wanted to teach them about a good work ethic, how to make their own beds, and do the laundry—and believe it or not so did I, when my parents lost their money when I was in high school—if it wasn't for the group of friends I had fallen in with beforehand who knows, I might not have pushed myself as hard as I did to become who I am today".

"We both know that's not true," Nathan said.

"Maybe," Brooke said, shrugging. "But, the point is money comes and goes, we wanted them to understand that—so when Julian died—I remember the week after his funeral, so many people had come and gone, everyone brought all this food, it was the first time I was alone. I remember the boys were running through the house, I was trying to clean—everything, it was so chaotic. Davis was running through the house, Jude was in his dads study crying, I put too much laundry detergent in the washer, only Julian knew how to work the dishwasher there was something odd about the wiring so one button did something instead of what it was supposed to—I don't remember, but I broke down in the pantry—crying, and do you want to know who showed up at my house to check on me"?

Nathan hadn't stopped looking at Brooke as she talked, but when she asked him that he could feel his eyes piercing through her soul. Honestly, he didn't need to say anything, he remembered that day all too well.

"You did," Brooke said, as though he actually needed a reminder. "You told me to go upstairs and take a shower, or a nap—I did both, when I came back downstairs you had fixed the dishwasher, cleaned my entire house, took care of the mess in the laundry room, dried Jude's tears with a Disney movie, calmed Davis down, cooked dinner, the boys were ready for bed—and you were my superhero," she told him calmly rubbing his wrist. "You can do this, Nate".

"Thanks," Nathan said squeezing her hand, just briefly. "You know—she is going to ask if I talked to you".

"Then tell her you did—".

"Brooke, seriously—what's going on"? Nathan asked leaning forward. "If Haley is worried—then there is something to be worried about".

"Nothing, I can't handle".

"Brooke, you went crazy on Peyton—this can't be about your body".

"God, no—have you seen my ass"? Brooke asked. "I kill it on leg day".

Nathan chuckled sitting back in his seat. "Then what's wrong"? He asked. "You can tell me".

Brooke sighed. "It's not my body" she admitted. "It's what I want to do with my body, that's the problem".

Nathan looked at her, confused.

"I almost had sex with Lucas last night".

"Oh," Nathan said.

"He stopped it, which was smart—I was upset and crying, would have been a total mood killer, but I wanted, too".

"And that's bad—how"? Nathan asked.

Brooke looked at him and softly said: "The last person I had sex with—was Julian".

"Oh," Nathan said, realizing the point.

"Okay, have you ever had really amazing—crazy, sex"?

Nathan was suddenly regretting pressing against this topic, but he was here—there was no going back now.

"Yes".

"No, I don't mean just great sex—I mean toe-curling, you see stars, and—".

"I've had great sex before, I know how it works" Nathan interrupted before she could continue any farther.

"What about the crazy part"? Brooke asked. "I mean like throw someone on the bed and rip their clothes off, or sometimes you don't even bother taking their clothes all the way off because you need each other so bad it happens regardless of what you're wearing? Or the biting and scratching—".

"Are we talking about sex or an episode of WWE"? Nathan asked.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You and Haley never got a little—kinky"? She asked.

"I'm assuming you and Julian did—by the sounds of this conversation".

Brooke scoffed. "Oh, god no," she said. "Don't get me wrong, sex with Julian was great—we loved each other, but it was—I don't know what's the word I'm looking for"?

"Normal" Nathan said crossing his arms. "I'm confused, who are we talk—oh, god, please tell me you're not talking about my brother, please".

"I loved Julian—I really did, but when I think about the best sex of my life I don't think of him, I think of Lucas," Brooke said.

Nathan pinched the bridge of my nose. "Okay, so let me see if I got this straight—you feel bad for wanting to have sex with my brother—ahem because it is so good"? He asked.

"Yes, don't you see the problem"?

"I can honestly say I don't," Nathan said. "I'm sure Haley would sit here and know exactly what you're talking about it—but I'm lost, so catch me up".

"Okay, what if something happened to Haley and eventually you had to move on—".

"Well, this got morbid quick".

"Shut up," Brooke said pointing her finger at him. "So, you move on and you meet this great girl, who I would never approve of FYI, and you two have sex—and she is better than Haley was—but you loved Haley, so how would that make you feel"?

"First of all—no one would ever be better than my wife," Nathan said smiling. "But, I guess I get your point".

"But, that was also in high school—Lucas and I were young, and wild—so what if he isn't as good as he used to be and I build up this amazing time in my head and it's a let down".

"Personally, I would enjoy that story better than this one".

Brooke smacked Nathan on the shoulder. "Or he is just as amazing, and I feel guilty because I enjoy sex with him better than I did with Julian".

"Okay, just because you have sex with Lucas and you enjoy it—and it could be better or worse, but you have to find a way to separate Lucas and Julian in your mind," Nathan said. "Like I'm going to try to never think about this conversation again".

"Nate".

"I'm just saying—just because you enjoy sex with someone else doesn't take away from how much you loved and cared about Julian," Nathan told her. "Or how good the sex was with him—you and Lucas tied each other up"?

Brooke smiled at the random question as Nathan's mind trailed off. "With licorice".

"So many questions—but I don't want to know the answers".

Brooke laughed. "I get what you're saying though," she said. "I just—he has been gone for so long, but moving on, even after all this time is harder than I thought. I love kissing Lucas and being with him, but every time I am I feel like I'm cheating on Julian".

"But, you're not" Nathan reminded her. "You are single, and you deserve to be happy, and you will be. You can't feel guilty for wanting to be happy and wanting to have questionably legal sex".

* * *

If Jake never stayed in another hotel in his life it would still be too soon. He looked around the small room he had been staying in since his arrival to Tree Hill just a few months ago, half of his things scattered, the other half still in suitcases, and he really hated himself for requesting no maid service, it came with the price of the room—and cleanliness, something he apparently had no time for these days.

After starring at the mess for a minute too long he finally walked across the room and began tidying up the room. He separated his clean clothes and dirty—tossing the undecided in with the dirty just as a precaution, he pushed his suitcase into the closet with the hope that out of sight out of mind ran deep in his veins and picked up the used dishes he had—until he realized there was nowhere to take them so he sat them on the small counter for the time being.

Jake examines the room, and it was clean—or cleaner, as he plopped himself down on the couch, ready to watch a movie.

Knock, Knock.

"Now who in the hell is knocking at my door this late," he said glancing down at his watch and his face dropped "at seven in the afternoon. I'm pathetic".

Jake ran his fingers through his hair, shaking the frizz out as he made his way across the room to the door pulling it open.

"Peyton"?

She smiled. "This is the part where you invite me in".

Jake held the door open for her, and she slowly walked past him.

Peyton froze when she walked inside, it wasn't the mess that took her by surprise—it was the room. It stunned her that all this time that had passed this was where he was laying his head down at night, in a hotel room. She hadn't given it to much thought where he was sleeping or staying until it came time to hunt him down, and when she did she rushed over without a second to spare—but it never registered with her mind until she was standing there, with nothing but Jake and small hotel room before her.

"How did you know where I was"? Jake asked shutting the door.

"It's Tree Hill—it's not that hard to figure out," she said, her voice slow as she still looked around.

"Well, now you know why we always stay at your place," he said walking up beside her.

"You've been staying in a hotel"?

"It's not like I live here," he said. "I have a home, a big home—I only came to Tree Hill on business".

"Months ago," Peyton said turning around to face him. "You said everything with the hospital and Keith was closed up. So, why are you still here—staying in a hotel"?

"That's a dumb question".

Peyton watched as Jake walked across the room, fetched a beer out of the mini-fridge, and found a seat in the armchair.

"I'm here for you," he said opening the beer and taking a drink. "I'm here because I love you, I wasn't ready to leave you just yet—but clearly we are on two different levels here".

Peyton laid her jacket on the back of the couch and walked over to him, sitting directly across from him on the edge of the coffee table. "You're wrong," she said. "We're not, I'm where you are—I'm just not ready for where you want to be".

"So, you don't want to get married"?

Peyton took his beer and took a sip out of it and smiled. "I do," she said. "I want you—for the rest of my life, it's just not that simple".

"What's not simple about it"?

"I just left a marriage—my divorce hasn't been finalized all that wrong, it's not about you or marrying you, it's me, Jake," she said. "You can't expect me to to get re-married less than six months after my divorce".

"Who said we would"? Jake asked. "I just want to put a ring on your finger and make a promise, I want to know that I'm it for you—".

"And that requires a diamond"?

"It can be black if you want".

Peyton looked at him, to see a smile across his face before he pulled her over on to his lap. "If I say yes—we take it slow"?

"Like, Brad and Angelina slow"?

"Not that slow" Peyton said giggling. "But, just time, Sawyer is young—she knows mommy and daddy aren't together any more, and she knows you're mommy's very special friend—".

"She thinks she knows more than that, I've heard the jokes that child makes".

Peyton nodded. "I still blame Jamie for that," she said. "But, she is still a kid—in less than six months her entire world has completely shifted from one thing to another. She was traveling and now she is going to regular school—she doesn't live with mommy and daddy, she lives with mommy and then daddy, now mommy kisses someone who isn't daddy—just because she understands doesn't mean we shouldn't take time to let her adjust to everything else before shoving something else down her throat".

Jake nodded. "So, what we have a slow, long engagement—and we start easing her into it".

"How do you presume we do that"?

"Maybe—have dinner with me and you and her and Jenny"?

Peyton smiled. "I like that idea".

"You do"?

Peyton nodded.

"So, then—that's a yes"?

Peyton once again nodded. "It's a yes, I would love to marry you".

Jake smiled before he kissed her, his fiancé.

"And to celebrate," Peyton said standing up. "I have something else you may like".

Jake looked up from the chair he was sitting in and watched as Peyton pulled her shirt over her head—to reveal a black corset snug around her body.

"So much better than a diamond," Jake said downing the rest of the beer before jumping up and lifting Peyton off of her feet.

The sound of his fiancé squeal of laughter echoed through the room as he carried her to the bed, and if taking a woman's pants off fast enough was an Olympic sport—he would have taken home a gold medal.

* * *

Lucas gently pulled the bright pink blankets over his daughter as he looked down at the octopus with blonde hair, and smiled as he finished tucking her in. She slept soundly, with her mouth hanging open, one leg hanging off the bed and the other tucked beneath her—indicating she was very much his child. She held her lovey against her chest, that he wasn't allowed to tell anyone—not even Uncle Nate, that his mom got her before she turned one.

He bent down and kissed her on top of her head, smoothing her curls out behind her.

"I love you, baby" he whispered before tiptoeing towards the door.

"Love you, too".

Lucas looked back at the sound of her voice, though her eyes were still closed, he smiled—and he made his way out of her room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

He let out a long and deep breath, half yawning and half groaning before he made his way into the kitchen, to begin cleaning up their mess from dinner. He had just finished washing the dishes when he felt a buzzing in his pocket and fished his phone out of his pocket to see a beautiful name flashing across the screen.

"Hey, there pretty girl" Lucas said, answering the phone, as he pushed it against his ear.

"You make it really hard to be mad at you" he heard Brooke say, though he could sense the smile in her voice—the teasing.

"Mad—at me"? He asked, grinning as he dried his hands leaning against the counter. "And just what did I do"?

"Do you know how many men have turned down a night with Brooke Davis"? She asked. "Well, I'll tell you—none".

Lucas laughed. "Don't worry, I'm already living to regret it".

"I'd say".

Lucas could have listened to the sound of her laugh for hours, and if she would have laughed that long he would have. But, not long after it died away—though the beautiful sound still rang in his ear.

"You might want to jot this down," Brooke said. "But, I wanted to tell you were right—and thank you".

"I know," Lucas said, gloating. "What was I right about"?

Brooke chuckled. "About last night—this morning, whenever," she said giggling. "Having sex—under those circumstances probably wouldn't have been the best idea".

"Yeah, I really hate it when women end up crying on me during sex—it's a real ball-buster".

"I can't imagine that any woman has ever cried when having sex with you," she said.

"College is a confusing time for everyone".

On the other end of Lucas's phone, Brooke crawled into her window seal with her cell phone pressed to her ear—looking out into the sky.

Brooke laughed, she knew when to take Lucas seriously, and when to not—this was one time she knew he was joking.

"So, I was thinking—about that date we talked about," Brooke said, smiling. "When exactly is that supposed to be happening"?

"I'll have to check my schedule—but I was thinking I could squeeze you in, Saturday"? Lucas said. "Sawyer will be with her mom".

"I'll have to find a sitter but—".

"I'm sure Lily will be happy to," Lucas said.

"You're sixteen-year-old teenager sister will be happy to watch my twin boys on a Friday night"? Brooke asked, scoffing.

"Well, as she so eloquently pointed out earlier it wasn't fair that Jamie and Madison got out of their grounding and she didn't—but she does a favor for me, and I might shave a little off of her sentence," he said. "Which means my house will be empty".

"And I will have to lock my liquor cabinet," Brooke said. "So, it's a date"?

"It's a date".

* * *

"When the stepsisters saw their old ribbons and beads on Cinderella's dress, they flew into a rage" Nathan read from the book in his hand, but glanced to find his daughter sleeping soundly against his chest.

Nathan smiled as he shut the book, and sat it on her nightstand, and instead of jumping up right away, as he knew he should have done he laid there—stroking his little girl's hair. It was peaceful, and silent, the night outside was still—and he looked down at her small face with her eyes closed tightly, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Daddy loves you, princess," Nathan said, before planting a small kiss on top of her head and easing himself out of her bed.

Nathan made his way out of her room, closing the door behind him.

He stood in the empty hall of his home, and he couldn't help but notice how quiet it was—he assumed it was always like this at night, though he was never awake to notice it.

Nathan made his way to his own bedroom, where he found his wife—curled up in bed hugging a pack of saltines with a good old American Soap Opera blaring on the television, sound asleep. He hated to see Haley so sick, and so drained, with nothing he could, but Brooke's voice rang loudly in his ears and he knew she was right.

He hated that.

Nathan carefully moved the saltines to the nightstand. He pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I love you, baby," he said before leaning down and planting a small kiss on her stomach. "And I love you—no matter how many there are in there".

Haley chuckled, and he looked up to see his wife only half awake. "I'm a human—not a cat," she said.

"I was thinking—maybe one of the babies middle names could be Lee, after my mom"? Nathan asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. "I mean don't get me wrong she is a little—".

"Crazy"?

"You're pregnant so I won't fight you on your phrase versus mine, but what do you think"? He asked. "It's unisex—I have never had the best relationship with her, I swear I have seen her naked more times than I have seen you—" he said earning a small giggle from his wife. "But, I'm so proud of her—she is sober and helping Keith, she helps take care of Lily—it took a lot, but she is in a place I always wanted her to be".

"Lee"? Haley asked, smiling. "I like it".

"What about—for a girl, Penelope Lee Scott"?

"After her grandmother, and her godmother"? Haley asked. "You know Brooke will cry".

Nathan nodded, half smiling.

"Baby Penny," Haley said rubbing her stomach. "I like it—now we just have to come up with another, and pray at least one is a girl".

Nathan cupped the side of her face and smiled. "Are you feeling any better"?

"I'm feeling—sick, but I don't have anything left in me to give" Haley admitted as she rubbed her stomach. "Can I ask you something"?

"You should know better than to ask me that," Nathan said, his voice almost a whisper. "You can always ask me anything, Hales".

"You were—having a hard time with the thought of twins, now you're naming them"? Haley asked. "Where did the change of heart come from"?

"The thought of twins—it's scary, but so is one baby out of the blue, or planned, having a baby or babies at any given time is scary, it a big change but our life has been so full of one change after another since the moment we meet," Nathan said. "And we have had a pretty damn good life, we got two great kids—a house, hell we have fish".

Haley laughed at her husband sitting up wrapping her arms around his neck.

"And I don't know if you know this—but I'm married to superwoman," he said. "I got a taste of what you do—every day, and it just showed me that if you're not freaking out about this, then neither should I. Plus, I was in there reading to Lydia—and I just looked at her, I remember when Jamie used to crawl in bed with us or want me to teach him how to do everything I did—now he is married, and it made me sad, a little—not too sad though because it's one less mouth to feed around here".

Haley smiled, laughing at him.

"But, we get to do it all again, it's not we have to—we get to," Nathan said. "Thank you for not getting mad or frustrated with my freak out, because these babies or this baby—or a twenty-pound ogre you have growing inside you is a blessing".

"We are not having an ogre—and if we do it comes from your side of the family".

"I'm not disagreeing with you," Nathan said. "If you want more babies after this we will have more, if you want to have babies until we are fifty then we will—because there is always going to be time for us. I was sitting in that gym in Texas freaking out because I wasn't going to be able to spend time with just you, but I think I would much rather go on this chaotic vacation with you and our four kids and ten grandkids and dogs and rabbits and fishes—we have a good life, Haley James".

"Yeah, we do," Haley said smiling before she felt her stomach turn. "And two of those lives are not agreeing with that yogurt I tried to eat earlier".

Nathan watched as Haley got up and ran to the bathroom, and he sat there—rubbing his palms together.

* * *

**_Authors Note: so as you could easily tell this chapter strictly followed the adults, the next chapter will follow the teens. And at the end of next chapter, we will make our permanent decision if this is how we are going to keep it or not._**

**_So far—I dreaded trying to write like this, I really did, but I like it much better!_**

**_I got to write more about Peyton and even though her character isn't my favorite Jake was always in my top five, and it was so much easier trying to write when I wasn't limiting myself on amount of things I could write. I try to keep my writing as realistic to real life as I can, IE conversations and such, I like when it's not just straight forward and to the point because in real life most of the time it isn't like that._**

**_I like to write ships (which this include some Naley & Brucas) but I love the friendships just as much. It was fun to write the Brooke and Nathan portion, but I felt like for the Leyton relationship to really close there needed to be closure of some sort, a parting piece, in a civil way because they do share a child together and I love their co-parenting in this._**

**_Anywayyys, the next chapter will follow solely the teenagers, of course the adults may make a small appearance here & there (still in the writing process) but it will follow the same time line as this chapter. It may take a little more time in Texas, but I was against this way at first but now I'm really into it because I can go more in depth with each character!_**

**_And I will say this about the next chapter... a small spoiler, something is going to leave you SHOOK, and if you pay close enough attention it will shake you even more!_**

Until next time, my lovelies


	29. Chapter 29

Lily had never known this type of exhaustion existed, the kind where her legs felt numb—she had to look down multiple times to make sure they were still there, and yet she worried that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep when she laid down. She could feel the blood rushing through her veins faster than ever before, and her heart pounding hard against her chest, and despite all efforts, it was all she could do to remain in an upright position.

The sixteen-year-old looked up above her, and suddenly she missed the view from Tree Hill. There were stars in the black sky, but she really had to look to find them over the strong city lights—they were almost non-existent, she wasn't even sure if the moon was above her or not on this particular night.

"Here".

Lily looked over to see Andre unzipping his jacket as the two walked side by side, before wrapping it across her shoulders.

It was the kind gesture to make Lily realize her small jaw was chattering, as she held her arms tightly in her own hands, in an attempt to keep herself warm.

"Thanks," Lily said as she slid her arms through the oversized leather material. "I thought Texas was supposed to be hot"?

Andre chuckled. "It has really hot summers, but that doesn't mean it actually qualifies as 'hot state', they have mild to cold winters, actually—it snows more often in northern Texas than it does in the south, the largest snowfall recorded was in 1929, it was twenty-four inches—" Andre said, before looking down at Lily, whose eyes were nearly half the size of her face.

"It was a joke," she said looking at him. "Wow".

"Sorry, I read and study a lot," Andre told her.

"So, you're this computer wiz, you're really smart, you're this amazing friend—and you're hot, like Jesse Williams hot, how the hell are still single"? Lily asked.

Andre looked down at Lily as the two continued to walk down the sidewalk. "I don't know who that is, so I don't know if that was a compliment or not".

"He is an actor—he plays Dr. Avery on Grey's Anatomy, I would have all that man's babies".

"I've never watched it".

Lily turned to look at him, dumbstruck. "If you tell me you don't watch tv, you're gonna catch these hands".

Andre chuckled. "Does the history channel count"? He asked. "Or the animal planet"?

"Wow," Lily said shaking her head, smiling. "You might be the hottest nerd I have ever met".

"You Scott's and your subtlety".

"Oh, shut up".

"No wonder I had a crush on you when you first moved here".

Lily's smile dropped, and she looked up at Andre, attempting to keep up with him without looking where she was going. Which she knew was dangerous, so she stopped walking, and it didn't take long for him to realize she was no longer by his side.

Andre stopped and turned around to find Lily standing on the sidewalk, looking at him. "You had a crush on me"? She asked.

"Had" he repeated just for the sake of argument but nodded as he made his way back to her. "Of course I did, hell—who wouldn't"?

Lily looked around, there were few people out walking—not as bad as the streets were earlier in the day, but eventually, her eyes found his way back into his. "Why didn't you say anything? Or tell me—? Or, something"?

"I was going to," he said stuffing his hands in his pockets, shuffling from one leg to the other. "I wanted to make sure it was okay with Jamie first, you are his cousin—or whatever," he said chuckling. "I didn't want to sneak around his back or something, Jamie isn't my best friend, he is my brother—always has been and I wasn't going to disrespect him like that, but once he gave me the okay—".

"Wait, you actually talked to him"? Lily asked.

Andre looked around, before taking her hand and pulling them down on the nearest bench, just to keep the conversation as private as he could. "Yes," he said. "I talked to Jamie and Maddie, and I was going to talk to you the—the weekend of the camping trip".

Lily looked up at him. "The weekend I got with Chuck"?

Andre nodded. "It was just a crush, everyone gets them," he said. "Jamie used to say if he didn't marry Madison he was going to marry Shakira".

Lily smiled. "Then let's be thankful Madison said yes because that would have never happened".

Andre sat with his back against the bench, and Lily couldn't help but look at him, the city lights reflecting down on them perfectly—the smell of his cologne strong in her nostrils, though she blamed the fact that his jacket was wrapped around her small body.

"I can't believe they got married," Andre said and watched as she snapped her head up. "I mean it's crazy, right"?

Lily nodded. "Apparently, you exchange rings in that side of the family before you get all your pubic hair".

"Not an image I wanted in my head," Andre told her laughing, before standing up. "The hotel is still a few blocks away, we better get going".

Lily took his hand that he was offering her to stand up. "Remind me again why we decided to walk"?

"I think two reasons—we couldn't find a cab," Andre said as they began to walk. "And we could have ridden back to the hotel with the newlyweds—in your car might I add, but Jamie and Madison were becoming—what was the term you used? Oh, yeah—more nauseating than a fart fan".

Lily laughed. "They were"! She said. "I wonder what Chuck and Lucy will say when they find out they got married"?

"You're worried about that"? Andre asked. "I wonder if they even know where we are! We have been gone for twelve hours, did you even check in with them"?

Lily covered her mouth. "I knew I was forgetting something—don't give me that look, it's been a stressful day".

"Well, the day is officially over," he said glancing down at his watch. "Midnight".

* * *

Chuck laughed, before reaching over and hitting a particular button on the controller in Lucy's hand. "If you want to run you hit that," he told her.

"Oh," she said smiling. "I have just been hitting all the buttons".

"Well, that explains why you were running in circles," he said. "Now, we have to mobilize our squad before they attack us".

"Before who attacks us"? Lucy asked as she continued to try and keep up with Chuck on the screen, not sure which buttons to hit and which is to avoid.

"I'm not really sure," he said. "I never pay attention to the backstory, I skip it most of the time, and just start playing".

"Then how do you know if you're the bad guy or not"?

Chuck chuckled. "I don't," he said.

"How did you get so good at this"? She asked him, curiously.

Chuck shrugged. "I'm not that good, not as good as Andre—if you ask him he will say it's all about the mathematics or something, I tend to zone him out when he starts talking about classes that I skip," he said. "But, I guess I played a lot as a kid—it was an escape for me".

"An escape"? Lucy asked. "From what"?

Chuck pressed his thumb into the button on his controller, pausing the game, letting out a long sigh.

It had been a long time since any of the thoughts currently running through his head had made their way into his mind, but even after all these years, it made him flinch. Everyone who knew Chuck knew what happened, or most of it anyway, he couldn't remember the last time he had talked about it—at least not in the way his mind was forcing him to think about it.

"My mom—she drank, a lot," Chuck said looking ahead at the bright screen. "And by the way, that's the understatement of the year, and the only time she was sober enough to give a damn about me was when she was worried CPS was going to take me because my dad—if that's what you want to call him, gave me one too many shiners, and a child can only have so many 'accidents' in one month. The first one was the stairs—then the pantry door's doorknob, there was a football once and I fell out of a tree, they get less and less believable as time went on".

Lucy watched Chuck as he talked, and she listened, she hadn't known the man next to her all that long. But, what she had known was jokes, most of which were completely ridiculous, and absurd, her list was long.

It was a much different side of Chuck than what she had been used to, his eyes were narrow and if she believed in hypnosis that would be what she assumed was happening to her friend. There was one spot on the television that he had been starring at, unblinking, for longer than she would have thought he would, as he relived the terrible memories within his own head.

"I—I didn't know," Lucy said turning to face him, tucking her feet beneath herself as they sat propped up on the bed. "I'm sorry".

"Everyone is," he said, shrugging. "It's in the past, it's no longer relevant".

"Yes, it is," Lucy told him. "It's completely relevant, just because it's in your past doesn't mean you can blink and forget it happened".

"Yeah"? He asked. "Why don't you tell that to my mom," he told her. "She woke up one morning and decided she was going to be mommy dearest, to her next kid and her new fiancé and I just have to like it".

"Can I ask you something"? Lucy questioned him. "Kind of personal".

Chuck shrugged. "Sure".

"Did she ever apologize"?

Chuck looked at Lucy, and he couldn't believe someone was genuinely asking him about this, truly concerned.

It felt nice, for the first time in his life that he could recall someone was actually interested not only in his life but what he had to say, what happened.

Chuck hated it, but her question stumped him. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the headboard, and he thought about it. He tried, and he tried—he could remember his mom apologizing for passing out for days at a time, and the time she nearly set the house on fire from the cigarette that was in her hand—but try as he might he couldn't remember a direct apology.

"I—I guess not," Chuck said as he opened his eyes, coming to the own realization of his relationship with his mother. "No," he said adjusting his answer. "She never did".

"I believe that all parents deserve respect," Lucy told him. "But, to get the respect you have to give it, she can't just wake up one day and decide things are going to be different, your parents put you through hell—it was their job to protect you, but instead they were the reason you felt the need to escape, and she bringing in a new man and having another baby is going to change things? What about her first baby? You? It doesn't change anything, not for you—at least not until she makes amends".

Chuck scoffed. "All she thinks about is herself, she will never apologize".

"Then you have to make her? You have to show her what she did—and why you deserve at the very least a few sincere words" Lucy told him. "What about your dad"?

Chuck shrugged. "I heard he was in jail—but I think he got out a few years ago, I'm pretty sure he remarried—he had two more kids, and a third on the way," he said chuckling. "They both hated each other, but their exactly the same—they can straighten their lives up for another kid, but they couldn't get it together for me".

Lucy felt her heartache for the man next to her, she wished she had some sort of words that would heal all his inner wounds, but they both knew she didn't.

"Okay," Lucy said pulling a small binder off the nightstand. "Let's watch a movie—what kind of movie's do you like"?

Chuck shrugged. "I usually just watch whatever everyone else picks".

"You don't ever pick"?

"No, not really," he said.

Lucy handed him the binder. "I will call and see if the hotel has any popcorn," she said. "You pick".

By the time Lucy had called and ordered some popcorn, and a few other treats that would be bad for them, he had a movie playing on, so she jumped back on the bed.

"Thanks," Chuck said without looking directly at her.

Lucy, however, turned to look at him. "For what"?

"You're nice—I'm not used that I guess".

* * *

Madison wasn't sure how she was laughing, after the consistent events over the course of the past forty-eight hours of her life, she could only count five hours of sleep she had received—if that, none of which were consecutive. It was all in small breaks here and there, in the car ride over, or when she tried to sleep the previous night—but nothing long enough for a dream to set inside her head.

But, even without sleep, all her dreams had come true, and they had taken her by complete and total surprise.

But, despite the little sleep Madison had, the new bride wore a wide smile. The beam across her face matched her dress so perfectly as she waited for her husband, oh her husband—she wasn't sure if she wasn't sure if she would ever get used to that word.

Madison leaned against the wall in the long hallway of the hotel, watching the door Jamie had disappeared behind, waiting.

Smiling.

She felt her smile grow wider when the door opened and Jamie stepped out, shutting the door quietly behind him, and he shrugged. "Chuck said they aren't back, yet," he told Madison.

"What"? She asked, arching an eyebrow. "They left before we did".

"They must have walked—you know how Andre likes to walk everywhere," he said, scoffing as he took his wife's hand. "I've never heard a sixteen-year-old who talks about their cholesterol".

"And Lily"? She asked. "You're going to tell me Lily likes to walk"?

"Oh, hell no," he said scoffing. "She doesn't even like to breath half the time, she probably either didn't know how to hail a cab and even if she did Andre probably said he was going to walk and she doesn't want to go alone".

"Or maybe they couldn't find a cab," Madison said.

Jamie nodded. "That's a good guess".

"Not a guess" Madison said holding Jamie's phone up. "She just texted".

Jamie chuckled as he took his phone and read the text that was flashing across the screen. "It says they should be here soon".

"Should we go back and get them"? Madison asked. "I mean we did kind of hijack her car".

"I'll text and ask, but they are less than a block away by the time I go back downstairs and get in the car they'll be here," he told her.

"Well," Madison said, wrapping her fingers tightly around Jamie's arm. "Then I guess it doesn't really make sense for you to go, does it"?

Jamie smiled. "I guess it doesn't".

Madison watched as he pulled out the key card and slid it into the door to his hotel room—their's now, before pushing the large door open.

As the new bride went to walk in, she was swept off her feet—literally, but because Jamie couldn't be like every other man in the world instead of cradling her as most men do, he threw his wife over his shoulder. Madison giggled and laughed, the whole way in, watching as Jamie kicked the door shut with his foot before walking across the room and tossing her down on to the bed.

Madison couldn't stop from laughing, which only made Jamie smile, the sound of her laugh was so infectious—and slightly intoxicating for him.

"It was nice of Brooke to go out and find you a dress," Jamie said as he ran his hand down her side, caressing the fabric, and his wife nodded—still smiling. "Now, how do I get you out of it"?

Madison looked up at Jamie and watched as he took his the jacket, to the most casual suite in the world, off and toss it over on the dresser.

God, he was so sexy—she knew it, every girl at Tree Hill High knew it—the tattoo's, the piercings, the hair, the ocean blue eyes, the abs—oh, god the abs. Everything about him was sexy right down to the way he walked and talked, Madison never said it out loud but she always found him the sexiest after he got done playing a game at the river court, or after practice—covered in sweat, most girls found it oddly unattractive but she could never take her eyes off of him, he was sexy—without even trying, which Madison knew she was going to live to regret the thoughts bouncing around inside her head.

"Don't get mad—Kay"? Madison asked looking up at Jamie.

"You have a side dude"? Jamie asked, smiling down at her. "Just so you know—I'll kick his ass".

Madison laughed but shook her head. "It's just—Saturday night I only slept for thirty minutes, and then last night I couldn't sleep—that's when I came over here to see you, and now—I thought I had the energy but when you laid me on the bed, I'm not sure I have the energy to move".

"Oh, thank God," Jamie said tossing himself into the spot next to her.

"You, too"?

"I was tired last night—but I pushed through," Jamie said. "The whole way up I was trying to figure out how I was going to make it through—without passing out".

Madison laughed. "You make sex with me sound like leg day at the gym".

Jamie chuckled. "Sorry," he said looking up at the ceiling. "God, we are lame—we are sixteen, it's our wedding night, and we are both too exhausted to have sex—that's something to tell the grandkids one day".

"Technically—it's past midnight," she said as she looked up into the same spot he was. "So, even though we have only been married for a few hours—we got married yesterday".

"And yesterday we had a lot of sex," Jamie told her. "Five times before eight a.m is a lot of sex".

"Granted it was to keep my mind off of everything," Madison said. "But, it was good sex".

"Eh," Jamie said. "It wasn't my best—I don't do well after being woken up in the middle of the night," he told her rolling over and propping himself up on his arm—looking at his wife. "And I want you to remember our first time as husband and wife, and as tired as I am—you wouldn't".

"So, we sleep"?

Jamie nodded. "I love you—Mrs. Scott".

* * *

"At this rate, we should get there by dawn," Andre said folding his arms—though he was met with a death glare from the woman behind him.

"My feet are killing me" Lily moaned, before looking around, shaking her head. "Forget it".

Andre watched as she bent over, carefully and slowly she pulled one of her stilettos off—accompanied by a long and pleasurable moan. The mental image that crossed through the teenaged boy's mind was not one he should be having about his best friend's girlfriend, but yet here he was.

"Oh, my god" Lily said as she felt the soothing release from pain around the heels of her foot. "Oh, god—yes".

Andre pinched the bridge of his nose, in an attempt to erase her words—and the sound of her voice from his head. He felt as she grabbed a hold of his wrist, for balance he assumed, but the feel of her soft skin against his rough skin was enough to almost floor him.

"I'm going to hell," he said chuckling dropping his head.

"What"? Lily asked, standing up straight with both of her purple shoes in her hands.

"Nothing," Andre said, avoiding that particular rabbit hole at all costs. "Here," he said turning around. "Hop on".

Lily laughed as she squeezed his shoulders and took a jump, before wrapping her legs around his torso and her arms tightly around his neck. "I haven't had a piggyback ride since I was—Lucas, Italy—I was twelve I think," she said as he began to walk. "I assumed you're going to tell me why it's called a piggy ride"? She guessed, joking.

"It was originally called a pick back," he said as he continued to walk. "Pick was a medieval version of pitch, so it meant when you pitch something on to someone's back for carrying—".

"Oh, my god—I was kidding," Lily said, cutting him off, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Who actually knows that"?

Andre laughed. "You sound like Jamie".

"That's the worst insult I have ever received, and I share a locker room with Sasha and her gang of Sashettes," Lily said pinching him at the top of his ribs, earning a small smile.

The next fifteen minutes were filled with laughter and one random conversation after another. It was crazy that after all the time they spent together Lily never knew how smart, and hilarious Andre was—she hated the sound of her obnoxious laugh but it was the constant noise most of the time she was strapped across his back.

"I see the promised land"! Lily said pointing at the overly large hotel across the street. "This must be how David Bowie and that Clark fella felt at the end of their expedition".

Andre immediately quit walking and even though he couldn't turn around to face her, he cocked his head to the side just so he could look her in the eyes. "Who"?

"Those explorers—you know Pocahontas, the guy who drove—the big boat told them to discover new land or something, Christopher Columbus".

Andre's head hurt, in ways he didn't know was possible. "What in the hell are you talking about"? He asked sitting her down and turning around to look at her, honestly at the point very curious—but then two names crossed his mind. "There is no way possible you're talking about Lewis and Clark".

Lily snapped her fingers. "Yeah".

Andre looked at her, astounded. "And Christopher Columbus fits into this how"? He asked.

"He told them to go—do something, I can't remember what," she said crossing her arms.

"And the fact that he died almost three hundred years prior has nothing to do with this little tale"? Andre asked her. "There's a big part of my history book missing, explorers from the dead".

"Oh, yeah"? She asked. "Then who decided for them to—".

"Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States," Andre told her. "And while we are at it, he was never on the mayflower, and it's not Pocahontas it was Sacagawea".

Lily looked around, before looking up at him, awkwardly scratching her collar bone and asked: "what part of that story did I get right"?

Andre thought before he looked at her and said: "Clark, you got Clark right—just the name".

Lily looked up at Andre, who burst out laughing, and she couldn't help but smile.

"How are you a sophomore"? He asked.

"I'll have you know I have straight B's," she said putting her hands on her hips. "When I was being homeschooled I passed every test and—".

"Lily".

"Fine, I used to steal my mom's handbook with the answers—maybe I should have read up on it a little better".

"Yeah, maybe you should have," Andre said, still laughing. "From now on maybe I should check your homework before you turn it in".

The two laughed, and laughed, almost uncontrollably, it was funny—until it wasn't.

Andre didn't realize until his smile faded that his hand at some point found its way onto Lily's hip, he assumed he probably sat it there to sturdy himself from laughing so hard, except he wasn't laughing now.

When he went to remove it, Lily stopped him, placing her hand over his, holding his hand on her—she didn't have to say it out loud, he knew she liked the feel of his skin on hers, because he liked it, too. When she looked up, the first thing she saw was his almost dark chocolate eyes—staring into her own green ones, and despite everything running through their brains, the name Chuck seemed almost foreign.

"We should—get back," Andre said, as his thumb stroked the small amount of skin showing where her shirt had risen at some point. "It's getting late".

Lily nodded, but her feet weren't ready to move, so instead, she ran her hand up his torso, and on to the collar of his shirt. "Why did you tell me"? She asked.

Andre swallowed hard, he knew what she meant, and honestly, it was nothing if not harmless, but now it didn't feel harmless.

"Why did you tell me you had a crush on me"?

"Would you believe me if I said I lied"? Andre asked her.

"Did you"?

He nodded. "I said had—apparently it's still in progress".

Lily didn't know what come over her, all she knew was that it did, she pulled him down by the collar of his shirt and pressed her lips to his.

Andre heard the sound of Lily's shoes hitting the pavement before she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he tucked his free arm underneath his large jacket that she was still wearing—and they kissed. It was perfect, and soft, and slow, and when she leaned into him—his head nearly exploded.

"Whoa," Andre said, breaking the kiss apart using every ounce of strength he had. "We have to—stop, we can't".

"I'm sorry," Lily said pushing her hands into her back pockets. "I don't know where that came from".

"We can't do something we will regret".

Lily nodded, she knew that was true, and so did he, despite the hunger of want and need the two were fighting.

Andre picked Lily's shoes up that she had dropped and handed them to her, the two walked in silence across the road and into the hotel, they didn't speak the whole ride on the elevator, and when they exited the two-part ways—finding their way to their own rooms.

Lily shut the door behind her and walked inside her hotel room running her finger across her lips—unable to erase his taste from her lips. She looked in the mirror and to see herself—sitting in a bed, wearing his jacket, and despite all the trouble, the kiss could cause she couldn't stop smiling.

One thing was for certain, she never had felt this way after Chuck kissed her.

_Knock, Knock._

Lily looked up—half curious due to the time of night it was, before making her way to the door, tossing Andre's jacket onto the chair on her way, before opening the door.

"Andre"?

He pushed his hand into the side of the door frame, looking down at her. "Lucy is asleep in my bed," he said. "I think you forgot to leave her, the key to get in".

"I will go get her," Lily told him, but he didn't move when she tried to go past him. "Is something wrong"?

"Yeah," he told her. "I said let's not do anything we will regret," Andre said. "But, we already have—I already have".

"Oh".

"So, if I'm going to regret something, it's going to be worth it".

Lily felt him press his lips to hers and lift her up above him, she wrapped her legs around his torso—tightly as he walked them into her hotel room, shutting the door with his one free hand.

Seconds passed before the two hit the bed, and Andre tugged his shirt over his head, before Lily rolled on top of him, pulling her own up over her head.

Andre ran his hand up her bare side, admiring the red lace against her skin that had been hidden beneath her shirt.

Andre rolled the two so that she was on her back, clinging to him in every way possible. The more they kissed, and the further they got—the more his mind began to panic.

"Damn it," Andre said, sitting upon his knees, dressed in only his boxers at this point in the night. "I don't have a condom".

"Hand me the blue bag over there," she said pointing.

Andre got up, and walked across the room before handing it to her, and watched as she fished around in it before pulling a wrapper out. "Here," she said smiling.

"You're giving me Chuck's condom's"? He asked looking down at it.

"No, Lucas—I stole it from him a month ago, I think Nathan gave it to him, I'm not sure," Lily said pulling him back down to her. "He isn't using them".

"I guess that's a little better than Chuck".

At some point he thought he would want to stop, he was the good friend, but he couldn't. He prayed and prayed that it would become worse than anything he had ever felt, but it didn't, it only got better with every kiss and every touch.

Despite the circumstances, neither of them wanted to ever let go.

* * *

_Knock, Knock._

"Go away".

_Knock, Knock._

Chuck groaned at the sound of the consistent, and overly persistent pecking on the door—and despite all efforts of ignoring it, it just didn't seem to go away. And he assumed that it wouldn't.

The moody sixteen-year-old kicked off the blankets he was buried beneath before getting up and slowly, making his way to the door, before opening it.

"Rise and Shine muffin," Madison said, grinning ear to ear as she pushed past him and into the room.

"God, she's a morning person—I hate morning people," Chuck said looking at Jamie who stood in the doorway.

"Relax," Jamie said, pushing past him in pursuit of his wife. "We got less sleep than you did".

"Coffee," Madison said, in a sing-song voice holding the tray full of to-go mugs out as Lucy sat up in the bed.

"I don't drink caffeine," she said.

"Oh, this one is hot chocolate," Madison said pulling one out and handing it to her, before grabbing another and stretching her arm out for Chuck. "Here this one is for Mr. Grumpy pants," she said in a dreadful voice that reminded him way too much of an episode of Sesame Street.

"It wasn't cute when we were eleven, and it's not cute now," Chuck said but did take the coffee as he sat back down on his bed gulping down as much of the hot beverage as he could without ultimately scorching the inside of his throat.

"What time is it anyway"? Chuck asked looking outside.

"Almost seven-thirty," Madison said as she sipped on her coffee. "We have been up since six".

"Why on gods earth would you do something like that"? Lucy asked.

"Because she is a diabolical little hellhound," Chuck said as he continued to drink his beverage. "Speaking of—where's Lily"?

Jamie chuckled as he sat down next to Chuck on the bed. "Probably still in bed".

"But, where is Andre"? Madison asked pointing at Lucy who was still curled up in his bed.

"Probably slept in Lily's room or with Skills," Chuck said. "Last night we were watching a movie and she got tired, we couldn't get a hold of you or Lily, and Lily had the room key—so I told her to crash there".

"You can't get a hold of anyone and you don't freak out"? Madison asked. "I hope our lives are never hanging in the balance and you're our last hope".

"Funny" Chuck said, sarcastically. "Your girlfriend is hysterical," he told Jamie. "I went to get ice and ran into Nathan, he said you all should be back soon-you went out to eat, which by the way thanks for inviting me".

"All of our phones went dead—it was sort of spur of the moment—after," Jamie said, smiling as he looked at Madison. "Do you want to tell him—or should I"?

"Tell me what"? Chuck asked, looking back and do forth between the two. "I swear to God if you say something like you got your penis pierced, I won't speak to you anymore".

"What's wrong with you"? Jamie asked smacking him over the head. "Why would I invite my entire family to see that"?

"And I say this with as much loves as I can," Madison said looking at Jamie. "No one would want to see that".

"Get your boyfriend to quit hitting me," Chuck told Madison, as he continued to dodge Jamie's palm.

"Okay, that's what we wanted to tell you," Madison said pushing Jamie back on the bed, who only laughed. "He isn't my boyfriend anymore".

Chuck looked up at Madison. "You two broke up again"?

"Why would she be in such a good mood if we did"? Jamie asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Maybe you're really lousy in bed," he said shrugging.

"Babe, am I bad in bed"? Jamie asked, smiling looking up at her.

"If you two didn't break up—then she has to lie you," Chuck said, shrugging. "How do you know if she is telling the truth"?

"I normally go by the amount of—oh, god yes," Jamie said mimicking the most feminine voice he could push out of his throat. "Or the number of times she calls me James".

"James"? Chuck asked.

"Weird right"? Jamie asked. "When we have sex she always calls me James".

"Are they always like this"? Lucy asked pointing at the two boys.

"If you mean annoying yes," Madison said, irritated. "And this is exactly why I didn't want anyone, IE him finding out we had sex".

"Now, wait just one second—" Chuck began.

"Shut up," Madison said pointing at him, and then swung her finger at Jamie. "And not a word from you either—you should have just married him"!

"Wait—what"? Lucy asked looking up at Madison, then looked to her finger. "Oh, my god—you're married".

Chuck scoffed. "No their not" but when he looked from Jamie to Madison—both sharing the same facial expression he realized he was very wrong. "You're married"?

"We were going to tell you last night but we wanted to wait until this morning—until it was official, and we knew it was legal" Madison said as she sat down next to Lucy. "We talked to his lawyer, we are married".

"It's a long story, and I'm sorry we didn't involve you in any of this—but we wanted you to know, first thing this morning," Jamie said. "You're our best friend, and yesterday was so hectic we didn't mean to leave you out—".

"You two are really married"? Chuck asked and watched as they both nodded, slowly. "Damn—congratulations".

"Really"? Madison asked before reaching over and hugging Chuck tightly. "I swore you were going to be so mad at us".

"Oh, for leaving me out—I'm pissed, but I can't be too pissed, my best friends are married—I'm happy for you, both of you," Chuck said as he hugged her back.

"Thanks," Jamie said, patting his friend on the back. "We have to be at the missing person's office in thirty minutes, so we are—".

"Missing persons"? Lucy asked.

"I'll catch you up when we get back, we should be back before you leave—the jet goes up ten sharp, mom wanted to make it back before the kids get out of school," Jamie told them.

Chuck nodded as he watched his two friends—his two married friends make their way to the door.

Madison and Jamie walked out of the door, hand in hand, smiling.

"He took that better than I thought he would," Madison said. "I was sure he would be angrier than that, that we didn't invite him".

"It's Chuck—he knows it wasn't intentional," Jamie told her. "Yesterday was—so long".

"And it's still going," Madison said as they approached the elevator.

Jamie squeezes her hand. "Are you ready for all of this—finding your dad"?

"If," she said. "We don't know for sure—".

"Maddie, it's you—the little missing girl is you, I recognize those little brown eyes if you were sixteen, twenty, eighty, or two—this is just a formality before they call him," Jamie told her. "You deserve this happiness".

"But, even if it's not," Madison said turning him around to face her, wrapping her arms around him. "I will be upset, but I came here looking for my family, and I found it—you, you're my family".

Jamie smiled and kissed his wife, gently as the elevator doors opened. "Are you ready"?

"I hate having my blood drawn".

"I hate when Lydia sings frozen songs in my face until I wake up," Jamie said as they walked into the elevator. "But, we learn to accept it and move on".

* * *

Andre didn't have to open his eyes to know that it wasn't a dream, or it hadn't been—though as the night faded and the morning sky set in it felt more like a nightmare. H could feel the warmth of Lily's body—her naked body, pressed against his side, and he could her soft, long relaxed breathes in his ear.

He wanted to be happy, at the moment, he wanted to be overjoyed, there was no way that the beauty laying in his arms wasn't his dream girl, she was. But, all he could feel at this moment was pain—gut-wrenching regret.

The night he spent with his coaches baby sister was unforgettable, in every way perfectly possible, there was no way when asked about the greatest sex he ever had that Andre wouldn't think of Lily, and the night he spent with her. But, despite her resting asleep against his chest he didn't think of her, he only thought of his friend—of Chuck.

How could he have done this? To him—to Chuck?

_Knock, Knock_.

"Lily"?

The sound of Chuck's voice on the opposite side of the door—waking Lily, instantaneously, the two-shot up in the bed—both shared a short glance before jumping out of the bed.

"Lils, you in there baby"? They heard his voice once again.

Lily slid into the hotel robe she found hanging on the bathroom door and she pressed her hand roughly against her chest. "Jus—just a minute" she called, her voice shaky, praying he didn't hear the nerves in her throat from the other side. "Oh, my god" she whispered looking in the mirror as tied the robe snuggly around her body.

Andre jumped into his jeans—pulling the zipper up swiftly before scanning the room for his shirt.

Lily watched from the other side of the room and she bust into action—running across the room, picking his shirt up and throwing it to him, before running over to the other bed—pulling the sheets apart and spreading the pillows. She dug into her suitcase and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top—putting them both on, before tossing the robe to the side.

"You better do something with that," she said pointing to the condom and it's wrapper on the floor. "I don't care what—just get rid of it, and not in the trash".

Lily didn't look back as to see what he did with it, but when she glanced back as she arrived at the door and it was gone—Andre was sitting on the edge of the opposite bed the two had slept in. She scanned the room one last time before opening the door, to reveal Chuck—and Lucy.

"Good morning, beautiful" Chuck said, leaning down and planting a small kiss on her lips.

Lucy gagged as she walked past the two making her way into the room, finding her own bag, and digging through it. "I need a shower," she said.

"Hey, man," Chuck said walking to Andre who simply nodded at his friend, or he hoped he was still his friend.

"Lucy was asleep in my bed last night so I crashed here," Andre said looking down at his feet, unable to look Chuck in the eye.

"That's what I thought," Chuck said as he looked back to see Lily shutting the door. "The Mr and Mrs woke us up at five this morning".

"Oh, he is being dramatic," Lucy said as she found the last pair of clean underwear in her bag. "It was seven thirty—ish".

"So, they told you"? Lily asked, awkwardly sitting on her bed, crossing one leg beneath her.

Chuck nodded. "I assume that's what took up all your time yesterday"?

Lily nodded. "After we all went out to eat, then when Jamie's parents and Brooke and Lucas left we stayed a little longer but I got tired, so Andre and I headed back—it was around eleven".

"I was still awake then," Chuck said looking at her.

"We headed back at that time we didn't get back for hours—we left my car with them, and we walked," she told him. "We couldn't find a cab".

"Well, thanks," Chuck said, looking at Andre. "You know—for taking care of my girl".

Andre's head snapped in his friend's direction, and it took a minute for the phrase to take meaning in his head. Because, he did take care of his friends girl, he took care of every inch of her body—but he knew that wasn't what Chuck was talking about, it just took a second for everything around him to register for what it was.

"It wouldn't have taken us so long if we didn't have to stop at every bench we came across so she could rest her feet," Andre said, shaking the bad vibe off of his back.

"He hates my stilettos," she told Chuck.

"Really"? Chuck asked looking at her, grinning devilishly. "I love them—especially when it's all she's wearing".

"You're disgusting," Lucy said pointing at him.

"All men like that" Chuck told her. "Andre tells her—if you had a girlfriend and she looked like this," he said pointing at Lily. "And she wore nothing but heels—a total turn on right"?

Andre looked at Lily, fighting the visual in his head but knew that even at this moment he would have to say something normal, something he would say regardless of last night's events. "Sure," he said. "Yeah, I would".

"See"? Chuck said at Lucy.

Lucy rolled her eyes as she made her way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Chuck laughed, before looking at Lily "you should have had Andre woke me last night" he whispered. "I could have stayed in here with you".

Lily looked up and he was smiling, he was—happy, which why wouldn't he be?

"I guess we didn't think about it—we were tired," she said. "It had been a really long day".

Andre kept his head down, and picked at the dry skin in the palm of his hand—as he fought the urge to listen to the two, they kept their voices low but the room wasn't large. He couldn't help but feel the hot sensation pulsing through his skin, the anger—the jealously, it was something he was unfamiliar with—it was something that didn't make sense.

Lily wasn't his girlfriend, but here he was—jealous.

* * *

Jamie pushed the neatly folded clothes into his suitcase, and heard a light tap at the door—he wasn't even sure it was a knock, at first, until he heard it again. He looked at Madison, who had glanced up as she continued to pick up the small mess they had made from their brunch just moments ago.

The new groom made his way across the room, and opened the door—

"Lily," he said. "Just who I wanted to see right after I ate—now I won't be able to hold down solids for a good week, congratulations—you just ruined my honeymoon".

Lily half chuckled. "Please, you'd do that all on your own tiger," she said smacking him the stomach as she walked past him. "Damn Scott—your wife is fine".

Madison rolled her eyes as Jamie shut the door "you two are just as annoying he is with Chuck" she said clearing off the rest of the table.

"He's just jealous that I could give you better orgasms than he can".

Jamie scoffed. "Oh, here we go".

"What Jamie—you scared your wife is secretly hot for me"? Lily teased.

Jamie rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Please".

Lily, never could let things go—even jokes, even the ones she started—and she was the queen of taking it to far, but she lived for ruffling Jamie's feathers.

Madison looked up and saw Lily walking over to her, and she knew she was up to something—but how could she not play along?

Lily laid both her hands on Madison's hips and pushed her body directly into her best friends, and shockingly Madison did the same. The two both fought laughter as they let their lips get close—less than a centimeter apart—and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jamie, his arm resting against the wall, unimpressed.

Madison let Lily back her across the room, and the two collapsed on to the bed, giggling—and Lily straddled the new wife on to the bed.

"You know—if I wasn't related to the Courtney Love wannabe, that would have been totally arousing," Jamie said shaking his head.

Lily laughed as Madison pushed her. "Get off of me".

"Well, I'm going to leave you two love birds alone," Jamie said walking over, planting a kiss on Madison's lips. "Dad text and said mom wasn't feeling great, so I am going to go check on her, I'll be back".

"Knock before you come back in" Lily called as he walked out, the door closing behind him, before turning to look at Madison. "That was fun".

Madison sat up on the bed and nodded.

"How did it go this morning"? She asked.

Madison shrugged. "I'll know in twenty-four to forty-eight hours—maybe a day or two longer if the lab takes forever".

"What all did they do"?

"Took my blood, asked questions about recognizable scars and birthmarks, they even took pictures of my teeth for dental records comparison," Madison said. "They swabbed the inside of my mouth and nose—and Jamie was there to witness it all".

"Sexy start to the honeymoon," Lily said.

Madison chuckled. "Yeah, it was long, I never thought they would be done, but then they were—my mom's death—of Nina's never was tied to the people who took me so the man at the office called a detective, and was looking into it if they could reopen it, and tie it Santiago".

"That's good, right"? Lily asked. "I mean your mom's family, her parents need that closure—your dad, you".

Madison nodded. "I guess, I mean yeah—they needed it, it's just hard, Lils. I have spent my whole life missing criminals that weren't really my parents, I educated myself on everything about France and Spain, Jamie and I saved up for this trip to Barcelona so that I could go see them. I learned about their customs and language and cuisine, now everything I thought I knew about myself was a lie" she said. "I never knew I was even a missing person, and last night I cried because my mom is dead—do I even have that right? I didn't know her—"?

"You have every right, now I don't know anything about a lot of things you have been through, but I do know about losing a mom," Lily said. "There is so much I need my mom for, just to talk to her—but I have these wonderful and crazy memories—but those people robbed you of that, the simplest thing, a memory of your mom and then that man took her life, he stole her from you—do you have a right? Are you kidding? You have every right to be upset and pissed, if you want to kick and scream and curse the world I'm here for you, babe"

"Thanks," Madison said, taking her best friend's hand.

"And okay, you spent all this time learning about two beautiful—romantic places, that's not time wasted," Lily said. "One day maybe you and Jamie can actually go there, but now you get to learn about these other cultures—and places, and learn about their customs and religion and—about your family, about who you are, who you truly are".

Madison wrapped her arms tightly around Lily because that's what she needed to hear—just what she needed to her.

And she didn't let her go until she heard a small almost undetectable sniffle, and when she leaned away she looked at Lily—who was biting down on her lip and fighting the small tears that had dwelled in the corner of her eyes.

"What's wrong"? Madison asked, immediately.

"Nothing—just all this talk of moms, and that's the one person in the world I need right now" Lily admitted. "I need my mom, and I know her, I know she would be so mad at me right now. I can hear her in my ear—how could you let this happen? How could you do this? But, then she would tell me it was going to be okay, and I would get through this, and she would tell me what to do—but I don't hear that. I don't hear what she wants me to do".

Madison grabbed a tissue and handed it to Lily, who had reached the far point of sobbing. "What's wrong"? She asked. "What happened"?

"I—I had sex last night, really great sex," she said.

"I'm sure your mom wouldn't have wanted to hear that—I don't want to hear about you and Chuck," Madison said, making a squeamish face. "I don't understand why you're upset".

Lily took a long and deep breath, taking a minute to gather the courage up in the depths of her body. "It wasn't with Chuck" she admitted. "I had sex—it was Andre, I had sex with Andre".

Madison felt her hand raise to her mouth, almost involuntarily.

"Yeah, that's not helping".

Madison looked at her, hoping it was a sick joke because this was Lily, but even she didn't make it this far. "I don't understand—how did this happen? When did this happen? Where—why"?

Lily shrugged. "Does it matter—it did happen?" she said. "Four times".

"Four—you had sex four times"? Madison asked. "Did you sleep at all—no, that's not the point! What did he say—what are you going to do"?

"I don't know," Lily said. "I thought about asking Jamie for his advice—".

"That's an even worse idea than sleeping with your boyfriend's best friend," Madison told her. "Jamie would tell Chuck, and he needs to hear that from you".

"You want me to tell him"? Lily asked.

Madison looked at her, and she knew her jaw was on the floor. "You didn't plan to"?

"I don't know".

"Wait—you can't tell him," Madison said. "It would destroy him, Chuck has never had anyone in his life that loved him—really loved him, and he thinks you love him".

"I do"!

"I don't know if he would recover from that—oh, and I just know he and Andre would come to blows—it would ruin their friendship".

"Then what do I do"?

"Well, not having sex with Andre would have been a good start"!

"There's not a lot I can do about that now".

"First, talk to Andre, and then—I don't know, I don't know, I wish I did but they're my friends—my family, I won't say anything but you need to figure this out".

Lily nodded. "And you won't tell Jamie"?

Madison hesitated, but she knew her answer before she even gave it. "I won't tell him," she said. "Great, I'm building a marriage on lies and deceit".

"Sorry".

"I want to say it's okay, it's not your fault—but it really is".

* * *

"How did you convince Lily to let you borrow her car"? Madison asked as the walked out of the hotel. "I mean—it's her car, what is she going to drive"?

"Mine" Jamie moaned.

"What"?

"I'd prefer not to talk about it—it's already making me queasy," he said shaking his head as he popped the trunk and tossed their bags in. "I threatened her life if there is a scratch on it—and I would ruin what designer clothes she has".

"Evil, you're evil," Madison said tossing her small bag into the trunk smiling.

Jamie closed the back of the car before swinging his wife around pushing her up against the car, lifting her left leg up over his waist. Madison leaned back into the car—running her fingers down his chest.

"I'm really regretting not having sex last night," Jamie told her, pressing his lips to her neck.

"I hope you don't plan on anything happening right here—in front of all these people," she said. "I'm all for a little PDA—but this might be pushing it".

Jamie cupped the side of her face and he pushed his lips into hers, he felt both of her hands against the back of his neck—digging her nails into his skin. He let his hand glide from her upper thigh around her body, and just beneath her lower back, squeezing just a little.

"Okay," Madison said, breaking the two apart. "We need to get on the road".

"Or I could go get us another room," Jamie said. "And we could leave tomorrow morning".

"Tempting—but San Antonio is not that far of a drive, just a couple hours, and we can get a hotel down there—and lock the door until morning," Madison said, backing out of his embrace.

"Tease," Jamie said, though he was smiling.

"By the way," Madison said, pulling her husband in for one last kiss. "While you drive just remember—I'm not wearing any underwear".

Jamie watched as his wife turned and walked away, to the passenger side of the car—swinging her hips just a little extra for him, knowing the precise location he was looking at. He groaned as he backed away and got on the other side of the car.

Madison was smiling, strapping her seatbelt on when her husband shut the door after getting in the driver's seat.

"This is going to be a long trip," Jamie said before starting the Engine.

And the two took off, with a certain destination in mind, listening to the words of an automated GPS. The couple laughed and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company, because despite all the current issues surrounding them they were married, just married, and they couldn't have been happier—and nothing was going to ruin that.

Or at least they didn't think so.

"What the hell"? Jamie asked leaning back into his seat as the car began to decelerate.

"Oh, my god—Jamie, there's smoke," Madison said and her husband looked up to see smoke rolling out from under the hood of the car.

Jamie cursed as he turned the car off on the side of the road, and the two jumped out. For the next twenty minutes, Jamie found himself tucked beneath the hood of the car, before hopelessly giving up and slamming it shut.

"Well"? Madison asked as she sat on a nearby tree stump, waiting.

"Well—we aren't getting to Sant Antonio, or anywhere for that matter, until we fix this" Jamie told his wife, wiping the oil and grease from his hand with whatever Madison had fished out of the car. "Does she ever take this thing in for a tune-up"?

"What are you—the doctor"?

Jamie rolled his eyes. "If I was—I'd tell you that she isn't going to make it until we get a new radiator and engine".

"What"? Madison asked jumping up. "And how much is that going cost"?

"It's not the cost that concerns me".

"Then what is"?

"Look around Maddie—we are standing in the middle of the desert, the last rest stop was over an hour ago—and I have no cell phone service, we are stranded".

Maddie looked around, and despite having been there as long as they had it was the first time she really noticed her surroundings.

"It's not a Desert," she told him. "Desert's don't have roads".

"That information isn't helping us right now," he said leaning against the car.

"So, what do we do"?

"We walk," Jamie told his wife as she leaned against the hood of the car next to him.

"We—walk, as in walk"?

"I have another idea".

"Yeah"?

"We could—climb in the back and have sex".

Madison turned to look at him, just to make sure he saw the death glare he was receiving from his wife. "We are not consummating our marriage on a stranded highway in the middle of Texas in the back seat of Lily's car".

"Then we walk," Jamie said. "I'll get the keys—in my bag in the back is my portable charger, you get that".

Madison groaned but reached in the back seat as her husband fished for certain items he knew they could carry, or he knew they couldn't leave behind.

"So, how long do we walk"? Madison asked as he locked the car behind them.

"Until we hit a town—or pick up phone service," he said. "Whichever comes first".

"And how long will that take"?

"Do I look like Jamie the great, right now"? He asked.

Madison huffed as she walked side by side with her boyfriend—into the unknown, okay, now she was being dramatic.

* * *

Lily opened her eyes, and looked around—she saw the sky out the small window next to her and felt the small shutter that came with flying, but it could be worse. She could have been flying coach—but she was a private jet, which she would freak out about later.

When she sat up in the small bed she looked down at Chuck who was asleep next to her, and Lucy curled up soundly in the small chair—who she didn't see was Andre, at first.

Down the small hall, he was making himself a drink, so she carefully climbed out of the bed and quietly made her way to him. She shut the small door separating the two small rooms, before approaching him.

"Hey," he said, coldly, as he poured a small amount of alcohol into his clear beverage.

"Hi," she said, awkwardly, rubbing her bare arms as she watched him. "What's that"?

"Vodka and soda," he said taking a small sip.

"I didn't even know you drank".

"I don't—only when I screw my best friends girl," he said scoffing. "When I realize I'm going to hell, I'm a horrible person".

"Stop—you're not, you're not—you're not a bad person, you're one of the best people that I know".

Andre scoffed. "That's not saying a hell a lot about the people you surround yourself with".

"Stop," Lily said turning him around to face her. "Please, stop—we have to figure out how to—handle this".

"Handle"? Andre asked. "There is no handling this, he can never find out".

"I thought I could keep this from him but I don't know if I can".

"Lily, I lost my dad when I was little and then my brother, and then my mom got Alzheimer's—half the time when I go see her she thinks I'm either Tom Cruise or some guy she dated in college neither of which bode to well for me, but she doesn't remember me—Maddie, Jamie, and Chuck—they're my family, my only family and this would tear my family apart, you and Lucy, you're new but the four of us go back—I'm not saying that to hurt your feelings but it's true, we have gone through hell and high water together. I was there when Chuck's dad pummeled the hell out of him, I was there when Maddie's pretend parents left her, and I was there for Jamie when Nathan was kidnapped and his grandfather died, they are my people. Chuck and Jamie are like fire and ice, they fight as much as they get along and then I step in and break it up, I'm the good friend—but this? This was the most un-good thing I could have done, listen to me I have an IQ of 140, and I am using words like un-good instead of awful because my mind can't even wrap my own head around what I did".

Lily looked at him, and carefully laid her hands on his chest, feeling his heart race beneath her palm. "It's okay".

"If you don't want to be with Chuck, that can't be on me," he said taking a shallow breath. "But, he can't find out—so if you want to break up with him then do that, but don't make me lose my family".

"I never said I didn't want to be with Chuck, I love Chuck—he is a pain in the ass, but I love him," Lily said. "I don't want to hurt him either".

"Then this stays between us"?

Lily nodded. "No one finds out".

Andre looked down at her and into her soft eyes. "Then—maybe just one more thing can stay between us".

Andre took Lily by surprise when he captured her lips into his, lifted her up and carried her into the small bathroom—just for one more time.

* * *

**Six Hours later**

Madison stood outside the small town, no that wasn't the right word for it—she came from a small town, she wasn't even sure this was considered a town. It looked like a town would look, after an apocalypse, which reminded her she hadn't caught up on the walking dead.

"Maddie".

She turned at the sound of her husband's voice and saw him walking out of the gas station, towards her—with a bag of food, thank the gods in all the heavens.

"A tow truck will pick the car up first thing in the morning and will bring it here," he told her walking up to his wife. "The mechanic already ordered the parts—so that should be here before the car gets here in the morning".

"And in the meantime"? Maddie asked as she dove into the bag, pulling a hand full of fries out. "Where are we going to sleep"?

"They said there is a small bed and breakfast right around the corner—supposed to be really romantic".

Madison smiled at him. "Where did you get the fries"?

Jamie pointed behind him.

"What kind of gas station sells fries"? She asked.

"It's also a dinner and it's owned by the mechanic," he told her. "He is also the mayor".

"I miss Carolina" Madison pouted, dropping her head.

Jamie laughed wrapping his arm around his wife as they begin to walk. "His wife owns the bed and breakfast".

"Shut up".

Jamie laughed again as the two began making their way towards the bed and breakfast, and it was small, but he had been right—it was romantic. Or maybe it was, the newlyweds didn't pay too close attention after they checked in, Jamie tore through the door with his wife in his arms—kissing her with every ounce of energy he had, shutting the door behind him.

Madison felt her back crash into the bed, the semi-comfortable bed—and that was being generous. But, that didn't matter—it didn't even cross her mind, at least for more than three seconds before she helped Jamie jerk his shirt off over his head and threw it across the room—before he pressed his lips to hers.

A moan echoed through the room, which would have been completely normal, except it didn't come from either one of them. Jamie leaned away looking at his bride, confused.

"Oh, god—yes".

The two jumped at the sound of the wall-shaking next to them and a woman screeching.

Jamie let out a long breath before throwing himself onto the bed next to Madison, and she laid herself back down—crossing her arms.

"Well" Jamie said. "At least someone is having sex on our honeymoon".

* * *

Author's **_note: & that was the second chapter of my new set up. Dividing the teens/Adults into two separate chapters!_**

**_What did you think? Do you like it better? Or worse?_**

**_I like it because I get to dive in deeper into storylines I have just hovered over. I had a lot planned for Jeyton & a lot for leading up to the Andre/Lily, but there was so much going on, these huge storylines that those didn't get enough attention. & neither did Keith's. I wasn't keen on the idea, but I got so many DM's, so I finally said okay, I'll give it a try, and I love it because I get to dive in deeper._**

**_& my goal, what I'm trying to accomplish in my writing is one chapter gets the early Tree Hill feel with the teenagers, and the next gets the later season feel, at least I hope that's how it comes off._**

**_I read a comment talking about Lucas, how he was much more relaxed in this story, and makes jokes, etc. thank you for noticing! That has been my goal, being with Brooke (even though he isn't with her yet, or not yet—still in limbo) she brings out this side of him. I rewatched bits and pieces of the first season and she brought out this fun, wild side of him, but because they are so much older, and have kids I had to tone it down to their age, but I still wanted her to set the fire inside of him._**

**_And despite all constant drama, I like to keep my story a little lighthearted, jokes & such. When you read one depressing chapter after another, some people tend to loose interest._**

**_But, I try to keep the jokes & such age appropriate for whichever group, such as Lily and Madison pretending to flirt in this chapter._**

**_I know, I know... I'm rambling._**

**_I will say, about dividing the chapters, just so there is no confusion and if there is let me know. This chapter & last took the course over one specific day, the adults was the entire day and this one was mostly in the morning besides one section in the later afternoon. Now, sometimes the adults might be one day, and they might be the next, to keep the time passing but generally they will be on the same time line._**

**_Do you like this dividing or did you like it the old way? I wanted you to read both chapters before I got your final input!_**

**_Thanks everyone for reading, and continue to read, & review it means so much to me, and for as long as I'm socially isolating you can expect these chapters more frequently! A few times a week!_**

**_So, everyone stay safe & healthy!_**

**_So, what did you think of this chapter!_**

**_Until next time!_**

**_Xoxo!_**


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